Daily Archives: July 18, 2013

Buyer Procrastination? No Thanks | Bedford Corners Real Estate

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Plenty of people offer plenty of theories about what exactly selling is. Here’s my theory: Selling is about persuading someone to make a decision.

 

Trying to sell a job in one call isn’t easy. You’re there to get a decision, and it’s human nature to procrastinate. The bigger the decision, the more likely prospects are to put it off.

The sales process itself sets you up for this. If you’re selling the way you should be, you’re asking a lot of open-ended questions. You reach the end of your presentation and move to close. Now you’re asking a question that’s not open-ended but requires a yes or no answer. And yes or no is often the answer people are least inclined to give. They’d rather put off making the decision.

Need To Think It Over

They put it off with objections that are often excuses. Have you ever had a homeowner say, “I’ll think it over and call you back tomorrow”? Have they told you they can’t decide without consulting a friend, colleague, or relative? Certainly you’ve heard that they can’t make a decision without more estimates. And you’re familiar with the delay tactic: “I never make an immediate decision.”

Sometimes these aim to send you politely on your way. But let’s assume you’ve been at the prospect’s house for two hours and you’ve done a great job presenting yourself, your company, and your product. You go to close — Can we do business tonight? — and they tell you they need to see a few more estimates.

Instead of walking away, challenge the prospect by making them accountable. Ask “Who else are you seeing and when?” Or “Do you really want to sit through four more window company presentations?”

Let’s say the reason they give for not buying is that they want to talk to someone else. You can ask them what it is that they want to talk to the other company about. Let’s say the reason is that they never buy without thinking it over. OK, so why is that? What exactly do they need to think through? Maybe you can help them with that process.

Keep Them Talking

Prospects will answer the questions you ask because people are conditioned to answer. By challenging the excuses they give for not buying, you get them to say what’s really on their minds. It may be they’re not so much avoiding a decision as feeling you out in an effort to get better terms. OK, now you can negotiate. You also reestablish control of the conversation. That means you can direct the conversation to a certain purpose, which is to close them a second time or a third time. But if you want the sale, you have to keep them talking. Silence means the sales appointment is over. —Jake Jacobson is vice president of sales at Premier Window & Building, a Maryland home improvement company. Reach him at trainyes@verizon.net.

Inventory shortages ease | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Inventory shortages that constrained home sales this spring are beginning to ease, with the number of homes listed for sale trending upwards in June, according to realtor.com data, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The total number of listings rose by 4.3 percent from May to June, to 1.9 million homes. While that’s down by 7.3 percent from the same time a year ago, inventory was off 18.6 percent year over year in February, the newspaper said.

Real estate industry observers have speculated that home price gains might spur more homeowners to put their properties up for sale — and for builders to break ground on more new homes.

With the latest CoreLogic Home Price index showing a 12.2 percent year-over-year gain in home prices in May, the recent uptick in listings — though bolstered by a normal seasonal increase — suggests that these market reactions may be starting to play out.

“No one wants to sell at the bottom, but prices have now been rising for more than a year and by more than 30 percent in some markets — triggering some homeowners to lock in those gains, including those who have been underwater,” said Jed Kolko, chief economist at listing portal Trulia.

But while home value appreciation may be coaxing some to sell, National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement last month that growth in home supply will primarily depend on an increase in construction.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/07/15/inventory-shortage-eases/#sthash.oM9YQ165.dpuf

Interest rate increases may have silver lining | Bedford NY Real Estate

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Though a recent surge in interest rates may dissuade some consumers from buying homes, the development also could have a silver lining for the real estate market: making mortgages available to more people.

With the recent spike in interest rates, refinances have plummeted. In the last week of May, shortly after Fed officials hinted that the Fed may scale back its stimulus program later this year, refinance applications dropped to their lowest level since November 2011, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported.

With the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continuing to push higher, they have trended lower since then.

That’s chipping away at banks’ profits. JPMorgan and Wells Fargo recently reported that their earnings from refinances have dropped significantly in recent months.

To make up for the lost revenue, some experts say, banks may extend credit to a larger swath of borrowers, allowing them to originate more mortgages.

“Because refi activity is down, you have a little more room to do business with people who don’t have an 800 credit score,” said Zillow Senior Economist Svenja Gudell.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/07/15/interest-rate-increases-may-have-silver-lining/#sthash.CZXfQzkk.dpuf

Immigration reform would boost housing markets | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Author William R. Alger once said that public opinion is a second conscience. That seems to be the case with public sentiment towards our nation’s immigration policy. A CNN poll shows 84 percent of Americans back a program that would allow undocumented workers to stay in the U.S. and apply for citizenship if they have been in the country for several years, have a job and pay back taxes.

Reforming our broken system and bringing 11 million people out of the shadows is not only the right thing to do, but also a smart economic move that would generate billions in federal, state and local taxes, stimulate housing purchases and trigger increased consumer spending. According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), new reforms would yield about $1.5 trillion in cumulative U.S. gross domestic product over 10 years.

All of which lawmakers seem to be adding up as a bipartisan committee of senators delivers a common-sense plan that could gain wide support — that is if anti-immigrant advocates don’t derail the bill. A study released by the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank, estimates that immigration reform would increase GDP by a percentage point each year over the next decade and, through this stream of tax revenue, reduce federal deficits by a combined $3.5 trillion.

If fiscal conservatives are doing the math on this, you know serious money is involved. What a difference a few years make. Back in 2004, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals published a study — “The Potential for Homeownership Among Undocumented Workers” — that estimated that these families would generate about $44 billion in new mortgages.

This was a conservative estimate that factored only 200,000 householders and did not account for the consumption of goods and services these homeowners would incur –

 

See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/07/15/immigration-reform-would-boost-housing-markets/#sthash.oOcNlgNC.dpuf

Can Radiant Flooring Cause Legionnaires’ Disease? Yes! | Katonah Real Estate

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Q&A with Dr. John Straube about radiant floor heating, domestic hot water, and Legionnaire’s Disease.

Q: I am interested in combining the domestic hot water system in my houses with a hydronic floor system. I have heard stories about connecting the two systems causing Legionnaires’ disease. Is this for real?

A: Dr. John Straube, Ph.D., P. E., of Building Science Corp., fills us in: Yes, it is for real, but you can prevent it.

Legionnaires’ disease is actually a more common problem than you might think. The primary place to find legionella bacteria is in residential hot water systems – usually in your shower. 

Q: Holy cow! How common is it?

A: Newspapers report on outbreaks of 20 to 30 people, so it seems sporadic but small. Actually, the number of people who get it and go to the doctor with pneumonia-like symptoms is pretty high. The Centers for Disease Control reports around 5,000 people per year get Legionnaires’ disease. The vast majority got it from their home hot water system or from a hotel’s hot water system.

Q: Creepy. How do you kill legionella?

A: Here are three things to keep in mind when designing a building or community:

1. Keep the water hot. At 130 degrees, the bacteria will die within 5 to 6 hours; at 150 degrees, the bacteria will be killed in a few minutes.

2. Use a tankless gas water heater. Legionella is not a problem with tankless water heaters – especially gas-fired tankless models – because they blast the bacteria, if present, right away.

3. If you don’t install a tankless unit, use an oil or gas-fired water heater.

Researchers who sampled water tanks have learned that fossil-fuel water heaters have much lower rates of legionella bacteria than do electric water heaters.

They believe that’s because the temperature difference between the heat exchanger and the water is well more than 150 degrees in oil and natural gas-fired water heaters, death is instantaneous for legionella bacteria as it slides by these heat exchangers under fire.

Because of this direct correlation between tank temperature and legionella, the DOE recommends to keep water at 130 degrees. If the water never goes below 130 degrees, legionella will not survive.

Temperatures of 130 to 140 degrees are ideal for killing legionella, but can scald bathers in relatively short periods of time. Babies and the elderly are particularly susceptible.

How to Target Only Your Customers With Facebook | South Salem Realtor

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What if you could reach your existing customers while they’re on Facebook?

Does the idea of displaying a Facebook ad only to your prospects list sound interesting?

This could give your marketing a boost and help build your brand’s image on Facebook.

In this post, I’ll show you two ways to use Facebook’s Custom Audiences to connect with your customers and prospects on Facebook.

And I’ll also show you how to create and use your first custom audience.

build brand image

How do you build your brand’s image on Facebook?

What’s a Custom Audience?

Your business undoubtedly has a database of customers. You may be using that database to keep email addresses, phone numbers, Facebook user IDs and app user IDs.

You can target the customers on these lists with your Facebook advertising, whether they are your current fans or not.

Instead of agonizing over demographics, precise interests and Partner Category targeting in an effort to reach your ideal audience, all you need to do is upload your customer list to Facebook. Facebook then matches up email addresses, for example, with the email addresses of users on Facebook.

Not all of the email addresses you collect are directly related to an email address of a Facebook user. Facebook tends to match up between 30-50% (sometimes more, sometimes less), depending on the quality of your list.

Once this list is generated in Facebook, you have a Custom Audience you can use in your advertising.

The Art and Science of Creating a Successful Blog Post | Cross River Realtor

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The creative geek has never had it so good.The Art and Science of Creating a Successful Blog Post

They have the web tools, apps and the social networks that keep poking them  with global gems of content inspiration and ideas. It is a revealed universe of  possibilities. What we are seeing in this century is the synergy between  the art of creation and science of technology.

Gutenberg would be turning in his grave if he saw what is happening in the  new world of publishing.

So we now have the online tools to publish your inspirations. Google has  freed us from the tyranny of remembering and finding facts. This is leading to  an explosion of  prolific and innovative ideas and expression. It  could be music created with an app, a photo that is captured on a smart phone  and filtered or it could be creating an article for a blog.

It is the synthesis of art and science.

Creating a successful blog post is creativity enabled by technology both in  production, delivery and marketing.

The Art

This starts with an idea for your article. It might appear while driving,  talking with a friend or during a wakeful moment at 2am (that is when this idea  turned up). It may be inspired by a book, a passing tweet or a brainstorming  session at a workshop.

Whenever the idea strikes, grab a pen, your phone or that napkin at the  coffee shop. Writing in blood is always an option…because failing to capture an  idea due to forgetfulness can sometimes feel like losing one of your  children.

The writing for me can start two ways.

  1. Creating the introduction (that’s how this one started)
  2. Mapping out the structure and framework for the post (that often  happens)

Neither is right or wrong but the creation has to start. Sitting down at the  computer laden desk with my two screens, keyboard and my mouse and starting the  mundane action is next.

As the words arrive the next phase is the wrangling and wrestling with the  text, phrases and even the sub-titles. Many a blog post has an ugly face but as  you massage it and apply the makeup it can turn into a thing of beauty.

That is certainly the intent.

Next is the internal discussion with myself as to whether I need to  illustrate and elaborate my ideas with a screen shot, an image, add a video or  even plonk in a Slideshare presentation.

Sometimes it goes beyond the words.

The Science

WordPress is the technology and foundation tool of choice for this blog.

The science support crew includes the following:

1. Snagit

This is the screen capture tool I use for screen shots, inserting call out  text boxes and arrows and even shadow and torn edge effects. I couldn’t do  without it.

2. WordPress Plugins

You cannot do without these to enhance your productivity and marketing  effectiveness.

This includes.

  • SEO Plugins (such as WordPress SEO or Yoast)
  • Akismet (this software stops the spammers)
  • BackWPup (this backs up my blog),
  • Facebook like box (you can like my Facebook page without leaving my  blog)
  • GetSocial (my floating social media sharing buttons)

This is not an exhaustive list but all of these I couldn’t do without.

Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/07/17/the-art-and-science-of-creating-a-successful-blog-post/#AIPsxa7OmCCbSHBa.99

California home prices soar | Waccabuc Real Estate

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California housing prices increased by more than 30 percent in June, with inventory rising slightly in what is considered an encouraging sign for the market, a trade association said Tuesday.

Last month, the median price of a previously owned house soared 33.5 percent across the state from a year ago to $428,510, according to the California Association of Realtors.

The tight inventory, which had been holding back sales, rose to a 2.9-month supply of properties last month, up from 2.6 in May but still below the 3.5-month inventory of a year ago, the association said.

Sales of previously owned houses statewide declined 3.7 percent to an annualized rate of 414,950 units. This is the number of home sales that would occur if the market matched June’s pace for the entire year.

Leslie Appleton-Young, the association’s vice president and chief economist, believe the slight uptick in available homes is a good sign. “The inventory is the big thing. That’s the most important leading indicator for the housing market,” she said.

Rising home prices may encourage more owners to put their properties up for sale in the coming months, but June’s inventory level is still well below the six- or seven-month supply considered normal. “I think it’s going to go up some more. You’ve got buyers taking more time [making decisions], and some are priced out by the rising prices and the interest rates. And I think you have sellers who came in too high, so their properties are staying on the market and not moving,” Appleton-Young said.

Still, the tight inventory and increased buyer competition has driven down the time properties stay on the market compared with a year ago. In June, homes sold in a median of 27.7 days, up slightly from 27.1 days in May but down from 43.5 days in June 2012.

In the Los Angeles metro area — the combined Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties — the median price of a single-family home for sale jumped 31.7 percent from June 2012, to $392,470, and sales declined 9.5 percent.

In the Inland Empire, the median home price increased an annual 33.2 percent, to $248,760, while sales fell 15.2 percent.

Double-digit-percentage price gains were the norm around California. This has been the trend for several months, as supply of low-priced foreclosed and short-sale properties have dwindled. “They’re gone, they’re gone,” Appleton-Young said. “Investors have really picked that market clean.”

Interest rates are now putting some pressure on the market. The rate on a 30-year mortgage was in the 3.5 percent range until the middle of last month, then spiked above 4 percent shortly after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said the agency may reduce its economic stimulus and possibly stop it entirely next year. He then backed off, saying last week the economy needs the Fed’s help for the “foreseeable future,” and rates dropped a bit.

 

 

read more…

 

http://www.presstelegram.com/breakingnews/ci_23673936/california-home-prices-soar

 

 

Westchester issues swimming alert | Armonk Real Estate

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Below are selected alerts for residents to take note of:

July 17, 2013 Boater and swimmer advisory lifted for  Long Island Sound near Milton Harbor in Rye and Mamaroneck Harbor The advisory cautioning against contact with the Long Island Sound near Milton Harbor in Rye and Mamaroneck Harbor has been lifted by the Westchester County Department of Health.  The advisory is being lifted based on the results of water samples which show that the water does not pose a public health risk. People who use the Long Island Sound in this area for recreational purposes are free to resume direct contact with the water and swimming at the following beaches is now permitted: Beach Point Club, Orienta Beach Club, Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, Shore Acres Pointe and Harbor Island Park Beach, all in Mamaroneck; and American Yacht Club, Shenorock Shore Club, Coveleigh Club and Greenhaven Association, all in Rye.

The advisory had been issued that If уоu are planning for Shорріng ѕwіmmіng рооl thаn it is  ѕuggеѕted that уоu ѕhоuld  buy oval above ground pools . Bесаuѕе when уоu are going to find yourself wіth numеrоuѕ арреаlіng options. Onе thіng tо keep іn mіnd wіth pools is thаt you have a number оf dіffеrеnt ѕhареѕ, manufactures, and ѕіzеѕ tо соnѕіdеr. But frоm all of them оvаl рооlѕ themselves hаvе ѕоmе unique bеnеfіtѕ that аrе wоrth kееріng іn mіnd, аѕ well and these pools are more secure from injuries and damage. Onе оf thе bіggеѕt аdvаntаgе to an оvаl рооl оvеr ground ѕwіmmіng pool would bе thе аеѕthеtісѕ.

The advisory had been issued as a precaution because an underground force main break near Blind Brook had released sludge close to where the Blind Brook empties into the Long Island Sound. The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities took the force main out of service at about 2:15 p.m. on Monday, but repair efforts were hindered by high tide.
Repairs to the force main were completed Tuesday evening and water was pumped through the pipe during the night while workers checked the air relief valves along the force main. Crews finished backfilling this morning and the line has now resumed normal pumping operations.

http://health.westchestergov.com/alerts

10 weird renewable energy sources | North Salem Real Estate

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'The Flintstones' foot-powered car (© Moviestore Collection/Rex Features)
Putting the ‘new’ in renewable

From Fred Flintstone’s foot-powered car to the Starship Enterprise’s dilithium crystals, Americans have a rich history of imagining alternative fuel sources for petroleum-free worlds.

But what may have seemed like science fiction just two decades ago — think dance floors that produce energy and cars that run on chocolate — is quickly becoming reality.

To be sure, not all of these technologies will make it out of the laboratory, and many are decades away from achieving mainstream adoption. Yet with growing concern about climate change and rising costs at the gas pump, more consumers are opting to think outside the box when it comes to powering their homes and cars.

“You can do lots of things in the lab, but the trick is turning it into a commercial scale that makes economic sense,” notes Greg Pahl, the author of “Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy” and other books about renewable energy. “With the more speculative ones, it may take 20 to 25 years to bring something like that to full commercialization.”

Among the newer alternative fuel sources that are showing potential? Biomass energy, which relies on previously living organisms to create fuel, and wave energy, Pahl notes.

While some renewable energy sources are growing mainstream — such as solar photovoltaic panels, which can be found in 300,000 homes across the U.S. — these weird energy sources are either just gaining a foothold or are in the experimental stage.

Read on to learn more about unusual energy sources that just might change the world.

 

Read more…

 

http://money.msn.com/investing/10-weird-renewable-energy-sources