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Becoming a Tech-Savvy Real Estate Agent
Special Contribution By Lou Lynch

In today’s world of instant messaging and global marketing, it’s often real estate agents who get to try new technology first. Real estate agents work with everyone of a certain income level and savings, which makes their industry a fertile market for new products. Real estate is also a good starting point for developers who want to learn more about how their technology will be used. For example, most online mapping applications launched in recent years have been created with real estate in mind - whether it’s finding an innovative approach to display home for sale listings, or creating realistic 3-D renderings of buildings, these new tools go the extra mile to make agents and their clients happy.

Real estate professionals who don’t make use of the latest technologies might be missing a big opportunity to expand their business. Every new product targeted at real estate represents a chance for brokers and agents to tap into a new market, and improve relations with their existing clients. And for those agents who still aren’t informed about basic Internet and email strategies, now’s the time to learn.

The best part about becoming a tech-savvy real estate agent is how easy it can be. If you’re well-versed in real estate law, how to properly list and negotiate a home sale, and what makes the local market tick, you’ve already done the hard part. Becoming tech-savvy is simply the process of taking your years of experience and knowledge and plugging it into a new system. Technology developers don’t expect real estate agents to know how to program software or even know html - all you have to do is stay current on what’s out there.

The best real estate news sites provide regular features on new technology. Here you can learn about the latest tools available, like database-driven real estate evaluation tools, and voice recognition software allowing agents to update the local MLS from their phone. Many real estate blogs also offer daily tech news, while real estate forums provide a place to discuss and learn more about technology trends.

If you’re an agent or broker with a successful website, staying informed on new technology can help boost your web presence. You’ll learn how to drive up traffic to your site through search engine optimization and new software, and how to protect your web presence from competition and copyright infringement. Many online agents and brokers use duplicate content detection software to keep their sites unique.

Real estate and technology have always fed off one another, but the relationship has become especially apparent in recent years. As developers continue to target the real estate market, many agents and brokers are doing away with old marketing strategies, like telemarketing, cold calling, and door knocking. New strategies for tech savvy real estate pros are being created every day.

Lou Lynch is a tech savvy Ulster County, New York real estate professional, working with a large, dedicated staff. Visit Lou’s professionally optimized website for more information on the latest property marketing strategies, and details on the Ulster County real estate area.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lou_Lynch

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 As part of my efforts to help grow your business, EdNailor.com is sponsoring Single Property Websites for real estate agents in the Charlotte NC area. There is also a Phone Based Website included for web-enabled cell phones! Add unlimited properties with unlimited text, photos and documents! All properties are submitted to major real estate search engines and included on EdNailor.com in the Featured Homes section. All properties are also posted foir you to Craigslist twice a week! Much more than a website… its a complete marketing system. Sell more homes and get more listings!

Charlotte, NC is one of my favorite places this time of year. With the seasons changing and the holidays approaching, the southern charm of Charlotte just stands out! The friendliness of the people really comes to life!

As you drive around Charlotte you will see the holiday spirit coming to life. Lights are going up, decorations are being put in place and trees are getting trimmed for the holidays. And with such a diverse mix of cultures in the area, you are bound to see an interesting mix of holiday celebrations. And while the holiday shopping season is beginning as well, folks in Charlotte seem to have a smile on their face. The southern charm of this city already makes it a wonderful place to live, but add the holiday spirit on top of that and you just can’t help but make new friends!

While many people will be traveling all over this great country over the next few weeks, I will be happy to stay right here. Charlotte is a great place to be around the holidays! I hope you can get out and enjoy the festivities too!

Here are a few things to take in this holiday season:

• Visit a few of the local malls for your holiday shopping:
  • Concord Mills
  • Carolina Place Mall
  • Northlake Mall
  • South Park Mall
  • Eastland Mall
  • Carolina Mall
  • Gaston Mall
  • Monroe Mall
• Go to the Tree Lighting at South Park Mall on Wed November 21st at 8:00 pm.
• Drive through McAdenville (Christmas Town USA) and enjoy the lights.

• Enjoy the Leonard Bearstein Symphony Orchestra at Founders Hall for free!

• Visit the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

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Ed Nailor
Home Loans in Charlotte

1st Metropolitan Mortgage
10801 Johnston Rd Suite 213
Charlotte, NC 28226

704-248-8694 Phone or visit http://carolinamortgageconnection.foundbydesign.net/

Get preapproved to buy a home in Charlotte NC today 

THE SKY IS FALLING!

THE HOUSING MARKET IS DEAD!

NO ONE CAN GET A HOME LOAN!

FORECLOSURES OVERTAKE SALES!

BUYING A HOME IS THE WORST IDEA EVER!

Pretty dramatic huh? I am waiting for these headlines to be on the front page of the paper soon. Take a look at your local news paper… The headlines usually are this dramatic aren’t they?

The truth (if you can find it) is usually buried 5 sections in and on the 4th or 5th page of that! For example…

A few months ago, the Charlotte Observer ran story after story about how Foreclosures were up, the market was hurting and mortgages were getting hard to get. These all were front page headline stories. People that read the paper saw this and read the articles. But since it was the BOLD headline on the front page, even those that do not read the paper were able to form opinions and get sacred about making a move.

However, during those months, there was good news. If you actually read the paper, usually the Saturday morning New Home and At Home sections, you will see these articles. For example, 2 months ago there was an article stating that foreclosures were not that bad in Charlotte, and that our market was still a strong one. But, the headline wasn’t as big as the front page ones are, and you had to actually look several sections back to find it.

Today, in the New Home section (thats Section H) on page 6, there is an article on how most homeowners are still ahead on equity gains. The subtitle states “Sad stories aren’t the rule.” Imagine that! But did that make the front page? Heck no! That won’t sell no papers! Besides, the fact that the mountains got snow and people can ski is much more important and get’s the front page!

My point is this… people are being force fed the negative while they have to search for the positive. We in this business really need to get together and with one solid VOICE let people know that the sky is not falling, that housing is not dead, that home loans are still available and rates are great, that foreclosures may be up slightly but not the rule and that buyng a home is still the best investment of their lives!

Anyone with me? Let’s let them know!

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Ed Nailor
1st Metropolitan Mortgage
10801 Johnston Rd Suite 213
Charlotte, NC 28226

704-248-8694 Phone
or visit www.EdNailor.com

home mortgage loans in Charlotte

According to federal guidelines, lenders are required to provide mortgage loan applicants with certain documents within 3 days of application. Some of these basic documents include a Good Faith Estimate and a Truth in Lending Statement. These forms are to disclose to the potential borrower estimated costs and rates associated with that lender’s program.

The question is, when is this required? When does an application actually become an application?

Calling a lender and giving name, address and social security number is not an application. In order for an application to be made and considered, a lender must be able to make a decision… in other words, they need all the information. Personal information like the name, address and social security number of the borrower; Financial information like work history, income documents (such as W2’s and paystubs) and bank / investment statements; credit information like a credit report or alternative credit if needed… these are just the basics. Oh.. there is one more very important item needed… a house.

If you are refinaning a mortgage and have submitted the other items needed, then this is an application. However, if you are thinking of buying a home, you will need a offer to purchase to complete your application. At this point, your lender will be required to provide you the disclosures required by law.

This being said… if you, as the borrower, would like this information earlier in the process, simply ask for it. If your lender has enough information to have a good idea as to the direction of your loan, they should be able to give something to you. If your lender does not have enough information yet, they can tell you what is still needed in order to provide this.

Beware of lenders that give Good Faith Estimates and Truth in Lending statements with limited information. Without the proper information, a lender can not give you solid information on which to base any decision. What they give you with limited information will be just as limited in its reality.

So how do you know if they are being straight with you? The bottom line is this… talk to your lender. Actually talk and feel them out. If you are not feeling secure in them after the conversation, try another lender. Even in todays world of technology, talking to someone will still tell you what you need to know… if you will listen.

As many people have heard, Bank of America has decided to exit the wholesale marketplace to pursue a stronger retail presence in the mortgage industry. This is not considered to be a major blow to wholesale. While BOA is a big name bank, their presence in the wholesale market was very small. Many of the brokers I know and have spoken to that were signed up with BOA rarely used them because they were finding better rates with other lenders!

Regardless of that, the mortgage industry is still plugging along strong. While news media and the internet continue to pour out their “the sky is falling” coverage, mortgage rates are still near all time lows and despite the subprime industry woes, there are still plenty of programs out there to service your first time home buyers, low to moderate income borrowers and even those with credit issues! And with the selection of homes available, your message to people on the fence is to jump in NOW!

Rates right now are still hovering in the lower 6% range (have seen them vary between 6.25-6.5% all week) and with programs like My Community Mortgage, House America, as well as the FHA government programs, there is no reason not to have a hot holiday season!

The soft market is the result of fear my friend. With the news media coverage of the “worst collapse in the mortgage market”, people have held still because they are afraid they can not buy. While the news media in my opinion is no longer really news, they are competing for advertising dollars, so big scary headlines help capture audiences. I doubt they will let this go for quite some time… even after all the dust clears, there will be continuing coverage of all the players that caused it to begin with.

Our job as professionals is to let people know that now is one of the best times EVER to buy a home. You can negotiate more than ever, buy more home for the money and RATES ARE STILL AMAZING!

If there is anything I can do to help you achieve this goal, please let me know. I honestly want to be a partner in your success!

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Ed Nailor
Mortgage Specialist
1st Metropolitan Mortgage
10801 Johnston Rd Suite 213
Charlotte, NC 28226

704-248-8694 Phone
704-644-0258 Fax

Visit www.EdNailor.com

I love to watch the experts tell everyone how its going to be down the road. They bring in all their data and details and paint the picture. That was the case today with the Fed Reserve Board Chairman, Ben Bernanke. He made comments that the economy will slow this quarter and that will be due largely to housing. However, once this financial crunch shakes out, we should be looking better by spring.

I will give Mr. Bernanke  credit and throw him a thank you. This is one of the first voices that has said that this is coming to an end. I hope he is right.

Personally, the past 2 weeks I have seen a marked increase in activity. More people are looking to get qualified to buy a home. If this keeps up, December may be the best month of the year! So what has caused the change?

I think the increase in activity has alot to do with the media’s decrease of mortage related headlines. Over the summer, every news media on the planet could not go a day without big headline stories about foreclosures, bank closings, mortgage fraud and every othet possible negative thing they could find. Even our beloved Charlotte Observer played into it, placing every negative headline it had on the front page, while burying news stating it wasn’t as bad in Charlotte about 5 sections in.

The reality is that the news media is now just media. Nicloe Richie and Paris Hilton have become CNN’s favorite topics… since when did teen girls acting stupid become national news? Its not… it’s entertainment. It sells ad slots and ad space. So keep that in mind when you read or watch all the gloom and doom… are they giving you news, or trying to get your attention so you will stick around for the ads?

Today is the best time to buy a home. Yes, the market is soft, supply is great and sellers are willing to negotiate. The news that its impossible to get financing is false! There are still many options to buy a home with no money down, and you don’t need perfect credit to do so! If you have been on the fence waiting to see what happens, you need to make your move now. Waiting till Spring could cost you not only the home you wanted, but also a price that would surprise you!

How do I know all of this? I asked the Magic 8 Ball of course!

Call Ed at 704-248-8694

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Let’s get real here. Buying a house is a big decision. But not necessarily a risky one. One of the largest concerns for most people is losing the house. What happens if something comes up and income goes away and we can’t make the payment? Don’t let this concern stop you from homeownership. Think about the situation here…

Scenario: You just lost your job, and don’t have enough income to make the payments. If you are renting, this becomes a major problem. Did you know that most rental companies will begin the eviction process if you are as little as 10 days late on your rent? If you can’t pay them, they figure they will kick you out and get someone in your place that can. Then you are forced to find a new place to live… but now we have a different problem. No job and no income and an eviction makes it hard to find another apartment. If you do find one, might need a large deposit… of course if you had that kind of money you would not have been evicted in the first place!

As a homeowner, things are different. You see, the mortgage company does not look to foreclose on a home right away. Actually, they are much more inclined to work with you. Why? Well, it comes from the fear of major financial loss. When a lender forecloses on a house, they no longer make money on interest, which is why they are in business. They have to turn around and sell the house, usually for far below market value… They don’t have time to wait for it to sell for profit! So if you owed $150,000 on the home and they sold it for $128,000, they have lost $22,000 plus real estate agent commissions. Their total loss would be over $29,000! With that in mind, lenders will work with you while you try to recover. Many lenders won’t start foreclosure proceedings until you are several months behind! And if you ultimately can’t get back on track, you can still sell your house and maybe even make a profit!

So you see, buying a house will give a tremendous amount of security where renting can’t. If you ended up 3 months behind, it may affect your credit, but you still have a place to live. And if you get evicted from an apartment, you better believe that will hurt your credit too!

Give yourself and your family something they can feel secure in.

So you are considering buying a home. Maybe you are already in the market for a home. You could be a first time home buyer or this could be your third home. Maybe this is your dream home, a starter home… or even an investment property. No matter what type of home you are buying, or your experience in the home buying market, getting pre-qualified before you shop is still your best move!

Getting pre-qualified puts you in the driver’s seat. You will know what you can afford to buy, how you plan to buy it, and give you the confidence you need to negotiate your offers. If you plan to use a Real Estate Agent (highly recommended!), most will want to know what you are qualified to buy before they take you out to show a home. Then again, if you are going it alone, you do not want to be guessing on this stuff as you could be taken advantage of.

To get pre-qualified, you need to find a mortgage professional you can trust. You can find a good professional in many ways… the internet, referral, or even the yellow pages. Make sure you find a live person to talk to… internet sites will be very limited in the support and help you can get. When you find a loan officer, ask them how long they have been in the business. You want someone with at least a couple years under their belt. Ask them if they broker loans (broker), or if they only write their own loans (bank). Brokers have access to more loan programs than any one typical bank can offer, and can usually get their mortgage rates below the average retail rate that most banks would charge (less overhead for a broker - no stadiums named after a mortgage broker that I know of!)

For a solid pre-qualification you can count on, your mortgage professional should ask for your current housing history, your employment history and ask questions about your credit. A professional mortgage specialist will do a credit check and even request paystubs and tax documents. They will go beyond asking how much you make and if you have a job. They will look for things that will normally trip a buyer up and cause a deal to die before it can close. A solid pre-qualification should take more than 10 mins. On average, it could take a day or two, depending on how quickly you can get the needed information to your loan officer.

You can always go shopping for a home without getting pre-qualified. But doing so is like going grocery shopping without a list or any idea how much money you can spend. And buying a home is much more important than a trip to the local Food Lion!

So before you start shopping for a home, find out how much you can buy. Unless you can pay cash for the entire home, you will need a mortgage anyway. Make that the right starting point and take control of your home search!

Best of luck,
Ed Nailor