Inspired Real Estate For Today

One of my favorite locations as a little girl, was a lumpy couch beneath the bookshelf. I loved this spot which was nestled in the corner of the living room.  I discovered that if one lay down on the couch (which had no arm rest), and let ones head dangle over the edge for a period of time, you could actually begin to imagine yourself walking on the ceiling! 

It was an oddly invigorating and imaginative past time especially when it staved off the hunger pangs while waiting for lunch preparations to be completed. 

The beauty of childlike play & mental wandering is the openness to developing a different perspective on things.  You see, everything looks very different in the real world when you can mentally walk on the ceiling! 

In some ways the discussion that will be covered in this series reminds me of those years when I developed the capacity to imagine life upside down & see opportunities in a very unique way. 

When you dare to think about real estate in this way...all sorts of new possibilities emerge! How would the real estate industry change if we developed a broader capacity for RE-Imagining?

Let's talk TV...

When TIVO took the television industry for a rapid ride in Re-Imaging TV without commercials, networks had to make some critical decisions.  They had to choose to admit the truth that...their world had changed & would never be the same again. 

The industry stood at a significant crossroad. They could have ignored the consumer, but instead they choose to do something very different. 

The major networks responded with some innovative thinking...they chose to mine the pearl from their own oyster...putting their HIT TV shows on websites like myspace.com.  This allowed consumers to watch TV at will & for the networks to reap the benefit of advertising to very focused TV viewers who wanted more of their favorite shows!   

It occurred to me that it might be interesting to turn things on their head so to speak, & RE-imagine what  the real estate industry would look like if....the MLS systems responded to their clients with the innovations that have delivered TIVO, Amazon & E-Bay.

This is Part 1 of a 3 Part Series...

What Would Happen if America Cast the Vote?

What would happen if suddenly everyone could rate a listing on-line?  For instance, give it a two thumbs up or down based on criteria such as the following: how the home showed, pricing, marketing?  We do this all the time on Amazon.com and E-Bay and it has been remarkably successful in revealing gems & duds.

Would Ratings Hurt or Help? 

Would homeowners have an incentive to price their homes correctly because they knew that good RATINGS would bring them a faster sale at a higher price?  How would this affect the "buzz" around a well priced & effectively marketed listing? Can you imagine home sellers contacting others to advertise their home's "Great Listing" rating on-line?  Talk about viral marketing at a whole new level!

What if a real estate agents performance was also available for everyone to see?  Comments would be a source by which consumers could evaluate the real experiences with various agents.  Could this be abused.  Absolutely.  But agents would also have a direct opportunity to counteract negativity & falsehoods.  Agents would have the ability to monitor in real time and respond in ways that could turn even negative situations into "teachable moments"  Competent agents do this type of thing all the time!  Remember we're still talking about an MLS...so comments in dispute could be deleted...just like on a blog!

What Would Happen if Consumers  Received ALL Market Data?

Since we're still in the world of "imagination" How would most MLS systems change if we stopped pretending that the good old days of "being guardians of information" may still somehow magically reappear & accepted the fact that there will not be re-runs anytime soon?

What if MLS systems took control of defining how Sold data was disseminated rather than allowing 3rd party providers to cull the information & display it; sometimes failing to re-constitute it accurately?  What if MLS systems delivered "Live Feed" for all their data?   This might succeed in enabling the following:

• Re-Imagine:  the Creation of a much better educated & therefore more Realistic Consumer.  A home seller could now see all the comparable homes, not just the ones selected in advance by the real estate agent.  There would be more Value in the discussion with the real estate agent because consumers would see much more clearly why it was important to have a correct evaluation to determine which data was pertinent to their transaction and which was not.

• This Value Added benefit would be available on an opt-in basis to consumers .  It would not simply be available when they were in the selling process but at the time when this education is MOST CRUCIAL...the 6-12 months prior to making a decision to buy or sell property.

• Consumers might be willing to pay a subscription Fee for this service, which could be tailored to reflect the quality & the frequency of the updates desired by the consumer.  For instance, data which could be incorporated in a full blown appraisal would be charged differently than for instance notification that the home on ABC street sold for X amount.

Stay tuned for Part 2

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate  All rights reserved

Picture courtesy of Bohman's photostream on flickr

This blog post was originally titled Re-Imagined...What if the MLS functioned like TIVO, Amazon or Ebay?  It was originally published in 2007.  I just came back from a 2 day seminar in which discussion focused on the emerging issues facing the real estate industry.  It made me think about this series written almost 2 years ago.

The "Oldies But Goodies" Series re-examines thought provoking topics that have been shared on the All About Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog over the past two years.  Some of the posts were Featured Posts on the Active Rain Network, and some are not.  When appropriate, additional commentary will be added to provide relevance and insight

Unless you've been under a rock, you have heard about the furor over 'Joe the Plumber.' (Actually I understand that his full name is actually Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.)  But at a time when 'Joe Six Pack' and the 'Bridge to Nowhere' have captured the national spotlight,  it's no surprise that our attention has been riveted by the the question'Joe the Plumber' asked Presidential hopeful Senator Barak Obama during a routine campaign stop in Columbus, Ohio. 

"How Will Your Tax Plan Affect My Plan to Become A Small Business Owner?" (my paraphrased version)

Joe concern centered around his perception that his personal tax rate might be adversely impacted by the senators proposed tax plan.  Thus, a worldwide debate sparked about what would be best for Joe!

Well, I've been thinking about Joe's welfare too.  Because in a tangible way, Joe symbolizes everyman.  Everyone of us who is wondering what to do next in the face of an increasingly complicated world.  Everyone who has tried to cut through the noise and confusion and struggled to figure out what in the world makes the most sense today.

GOOD NEWS: It has occurred to me that unlike the bizarre direction of much of the current political debate, real estate professionals have some real solutions at their disposal which can help Joe and countless millions like him actually reach their financial goals.  The fact is that Joe wants what all of us want.

1.  A Good Value for His Investment

2.  Relief from Excessive Taxation

3.  Something that he can call his own! 

THE FACTS: Owning ones own home continues to be a solid investment.  Despite, the crisis in the subprime lending industry and the subsequent economic chaos which ensued, the fact remains that the vast majority of Americans, (over 96%) continue to pay the mortgage on their home in a responsible manner. Here in Grand Rapids, MI real estate professionals have continued to sell homes despite the enormous challenges that our state has faced through this economic crisis. 

MORE GOOD NEWS: The Value Proposition for Buying a Home remains a sensible way to get the best bang for your buck...especially TODAY, when we have pretty near historic lows for interest rates and a remarkable inventory of homes on the market for sale.

This week, Scott DeWolf, a manager and Senior Loan Officer with Exchange Financial completed the second part of a 2 Week Series on The Financial Markets and Loan Options for the team at Audu Real Estate. He shared these facts with our agents.

On the purchase of a $120,000 home, in Grand Rapids, MI today, the average buyer would enjoy the following:

1.  An interest rate of approximately 6.37%

2.  A principle, interest, insurance and tax payment (PITI) of $932/month

3.  An upfront investment of 3% on an FHA mortgage and 1% on a MSHDA mortgage

4.  A nice sum of $116 going towards the principle of their mortgage monthly for a total of $1392/yr

5.  Access to a $7,500 TAX CREDIT through the IRS if he buys his first home before July of 2009

6.  A gain of over $7,000 that he wouldn't have flushed down the toilet by paying rent! *

*This information does not include the tax credit that homeowners get for owning a property.  The gain in the example above only reflects the difference between paying yourself $116/month towards your equity rather than giving $8,400 to a landlord to pay down their equity!

Compare this to paying between $700-800 for a 1-2 Bedroom Rental Unit!

This is only $132/month more to OWN your own home!

WAIT A MINUTE:  ADD the tax deduction for home ownership & you're paying LESS than rent!

So, What can 'Joe the Plumber' get for $120,000 TODAY in the Grand Rapids, MI market?  Well, it turns out to be a whole lot of Value and a generous supply of homes.  In fact, today a search on the local MLS revealed that there are over 4,303 homes, some of which can be viewed here.

The current housing market offers remarkable opportunities for 'Joe the Plumber' and other straight talking Americans to review the facts and determine whether they'd be best served by purchasing a home after the Tax Rebate option expires in July 2009 and when interest rates have increased OR if the better plan of action is to take advantage of some unique options which are available to qualified home buyers today!

At Audu Real Estate, we help people to make smart decisions.  Buying a home may be the largest financial investment you will ever make.  Don't allow the politicians, media mavens and the barons of Wall Street to scare you or cloud your options.  Talk to a qualified real estate professional who can help you determine what choices will be of the greatest benefit to you Today!

Copyright 2008  Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

picture is courtesy of Mike Lichton Flickr.com

You never know how a little thing can change your life.  That's the best way to describe a random visit that I made to Twitter a couple of months ago, popping in for just a few minutes to see what was on my dashboard.  I clicked in just in time to see a twitter by Cyndee Haydon about something called Triiibes. 

To supplement his latest book, 'Tribes...We Need You to Lead Us', Seth Godin invited the members of Triiibes, a 3,000+ member gated social network to submit their unique perspective of what it meant to be a part of a tribe.  The result: one of the most amazingly insightful e-books about how human beings bond. 

But, I will always be grateful to Cyndee for thinking of me and inviting me to become a part of this group which provided some fascinating insights into the way tribal society operates within the modern world.

The E-book contains a number of unique case studies written by various members of the Triiibes social network. It's a FREE book, so you can download it and share it.  Several members of Active Rain also participated.  Sharon Sims, Collen Kulikowski, Irina Netchaev and myself were all honored to have our entries included in Seth Godin's companion e-book. 

My story about the 'Yellow Rose Tribe' is included on page 104.  For all of you who have repeatedly urged me to publish a book, well, I've started the project!  It's tremendously exciting and yet a little scary at the same time.  I'll let you know how things are progressing.  A HUGE Thank You to all who have stopped by this blog over the past couple of years and encouraged this fledgling author to take up her quill and write something!

Copyright 2008  Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

Related Posts:

inspiration: What I Learned from the post Sarah Cooper told me NOT to read.

inspiration: What It Means to Live With Passion.

inspiration: What It Means to Live in Congruity

inspiration: Simplicity...

I am arrested by this poignant pictorial post about a home that once knew Love.  A home whose lovely bones bear witness to better times; moments when it's grandeur was acknowledged and admired.  C-Tann's simple statement says it all...'Someone once loved this home.'

To love a thing or someone is to proffer one of life's greatest gifts.  Love clothes life with dignity and respect.  Love grants us the courage to face life. When we loose the ability to give love to ourselves and others, our dwelling places also begin to reflect the winter of our despair.

Abandoned homes and abandoned people are becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore. Varying forms of economic affliction have scourged communities across the nation. In America's heartland, neighborhood landscapes are littered with the carcasses of homes whose owners have left.  Folks no longer whisper about the condition...they simply sigh with resignation as lawns become overgrown with weeds and houses begin to sag under the weight of neglect. 

This past Monday, agents of Audu Real Estate took a different kind of educational field trip.  I contacted Marge Palmerlee who is the Executive Director for  Dégagé Ministries in the Heartside district in Grand Rapids, MI.  She invited us to come down and take a look around her place. 

It was a cold rainy day, and as we arrived the crowd had thinned out. The center closes down at mid-day and re-opens in the evening.  Tables and chairs were being stacked and the floor and kitchen cleaned.  The earlier buzz of activity had thinned out as folks had gone to jobs while some who had no place to go lingered around the tables or outside.  You see Dégagé, a ministry which started in 1967, is an outreach of Love to foster dignity and respect for those amongst us who have lost everything.  It is all about the power of re-building community through the power of Love.

As we toured the facility, I was struck by how clean it was.  Marge explained to us that the patrons were largely responsible for the upkeep and care.  Many of these individuals are homeless, some live in low-income housing and the majority are struggling with some form of mental illness.  Through the ministry of Dégagé, folks are being given the opportunity to rebuild their lives. 

Support services at Dégagé include:  job location assistance, lockers to store personal items, laundry facilities, bathrooms with showers, a State ID program, referrals to local health care professionals, low cost meals and counseling.  It is this the loving life renewing work of many members of the community which serves as a mortar to begin the process of re-building.  Supporters of Dégagé include individuals and businesses.

Karen's story is one example of how this mortar of Love works.  Marge shared with us about how Karen's life had hit rock bottom and she found herself at the ministry, broke and broken.  You can read the full account on Dégagés' website.  Through the support of the programs at Dégagé, Karen began to put in place the building blocks of her life.  One day, an area employer came calling.  Marge recommended Karen for a job and supported her through the job interview process.  Today, Karen is gainfully employed. In fact, she came back to Dégagé to give a gift to the ministry in gratitude for the care she received.

This is a template for what it's going to take to get back on our feet as local communities. It's going to require all of us rolling up our sleeves and setting about the re-building of lives.  It starts with mowing the grass around the abandoned home, sweeping the stoop littered by trash.  It continues with reaching out to a neighbor and inviting them to your home for a meal...

Alienation is a human condition.  Our physical space merely mirrors it's presence. The cure for this malaise which leaves our communities forlorn and our souls' forsaken is Love. You and I are our brother's keepers. Through the power of Divine Grace, we become the instruments which God uses to mend broken lives.  This truth is a fundamental foundation of the building blocks of life and of healthy neighborhoods.

Dégagé Ministries ~ 144 South Division
Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 454-1661

Copyright 2008  Audu Real Estate  All Rights Reserved

Other Related Posts & Topics to check out include:

inspiration: What I Know To Be True...

inspiration: Forgiveness is not human...it's Divine

inspiration: What It Means to Walk Through the Fire.