They’ve actually done surveys to get the public’s opinion about how real estate agents measure up against other professionals. The results, I have to tell you, are not pretty if you’re one of us: in the public’s eye, we rank right up there with used car salesmen.

In our defense, being a Realtor is not an easy job. The hours and demands are many. Still, there’s no excuse for certain behaviors, as I mention here. Have a look, and let me know what you think.

Waiting is human nature. I usually wait too long between dentist appointments, wait to say my prayers until I buy a lottery ticket, wait until I’m pretty fried before I take a vacation. Most of us can relate.

But if you’re waiting to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit that’s available to eligible first time homebuyers, you need a serious kick in the pants.

If you’re thinking the offer will be extended, don’t count on it. Uncle Sam’s pockets seem to be getting shallower by the day. All that Cash for Clunkers, you know…

If you’re waiting for interest rates to go lower, you’re probably dreaming at this point.

And if you’re waiting because you think there’s plenty of time, think again. The program ends on November 30, 2009. If you haven’t gone to settlement by that day, you’re out of luck.

Say it takes you 30 days to find your dream home. Now you’re in the middle of September. Next, figure 4 to 6 weeks to get to the settlement table. If there are any delays or glitches at all – and there often are, with loan applications, inspections, and agents whose cell phones don’t get service in Tahiti – you’re cutting it very, very close.

So, step lively. And give us a call if you really want to buy your dream home and take advantage of this credit. (Don’t forget, you’re considered a first time homebuyer if you haven’t owned a home in 3 years.)

Not only are we at The Moss Haedrich Team ready for the last minute rush of new clients…we’re offering anyone who buys a new home with us by the end of 2009 a $250 moving expenses credit at settlement. Send us an email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com or call us at 410-507-7222 and we’ll tell you all about it.

That’s the question everyone wants to know the answer to: has the market stabilized? Realtors hear it all the time, but any Realtor who pretends to know the answer is probably telling you something you want to hear.

Which is not to say there’s no reason for optimism both nationally and locally.

The Case-Shiller Home Price Indices released on July 28th showed home values up in 15 of its 20 tracked US markets – the first period of broad growth in home prices in 34 months. (Though on a year-over-year basis, home prices nationally are still down 17%.)

By comparison, the average home sale price in Anne Arundel County during the last 12 months is down 10.82%. That stings, but it’s a far sight better than the national average. And more good news: compared to July of ‘08, July ‘09 saw 491 homes sold in our county – an increase of nearly 20%.

People without jobs or in fear of losing one don’t typically buy homes. Here in Anne Arundel County we’ve seen a jobless rate increase of 2.8% since June of last year. But at 6.9% we are still below the national unemployment rate of 9.4% – yet another plus for the Annapolis real estate market.

So, has the Annapolis real estate market stabilized?

I think we can be guardedly encouraged by the data, so long as we don’t forget that all real estate markets are local – often down to the micro (street) level…and that home values will always reflect that.

Too, we have to accept the fact that it’s impossible to predict how events that play out on the national and world stage will impact our local market.

Data, market trends, statistics – these are important tools we use to guide buyers and sellers who work with us at The Moss Haedrich Team, to help them make good decisions.

For Most of Us, Real Estate Transactions Engage Not Just the Head, But the Heart, Too

“Waiting for the market to stabilize” makes sense, but trying to time the real estate market – like trying to time any market – is risky and may come with a price.

Sure, you don’t have to make that move to San Diego. But what have you gained if you wait 5 years to sell, hoping for the market to recover, only to miss the first 5 years of your grandchild’s life? Or – what if you wait to buy a home until prices slide a little lower, only to find yourself able to afford less home because interest rates have taken a jump?

These are all pieces of the real estate puzzle that need to be factored in when you’re considering a move.

If you’re confused about whether or not this is a good time to make a real estate move, give us a call. We’ll sit down with you, listen to your story and help you to sort things out so you can decide what makes sense for you. No pressure, no obligation. I can be reached at 410-507-7222 or by email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com.

People often ask us how we’ve managed to sell so many homes in this very tough market.

It’s simple: we know how to price a home and make it look irresistible. And we know the sorts of things buyers need to hear.

Here’s a video of one script we use that’s proven to be quite effective. Enjoy. And if you’d like to hear about the other tools we use to get your home sold, just give me a call at 410-507-7222. We’d love to show you how we can help.

I saw a special on TV this weekend, on Sunday morning, about animals and the “herd instinct.”

In Annapolis, the herd instinct is alive and well with the backed-up traffic at the toll on the Bay Bridge. How else can you explain the thousands of drivers who sit in line, waiting to pay their tolls, when they could have bought an E-ZPass?

In this video I share my thoughts about delays on the bridge…and in real estate transactions. If you care to share your thoughts with me – on this or anything else – just call me at 410-507-7222 or email me at KenHaedrich@gmail.com

We parted ways with a seller client recently.

These things are never easy, though there was a time when it would have been much harder than it was: the longer you’re in this business, the more you realize you simply can’t help everyone.

Ours was much pretty much a straightforward case of an overpriced listing in a range that is VERY price sensitive. Miss the mark by a little bit and you won’t get showings. Or you’ll get them, but only from a clever agent who’s out to demonstrate the value of ANOTHER home to her buyer client (we do this all the time with our own buyers.)

Miss it by a lot, and the silence of the market will be deafening. Which is precisely what was happening.

It’s perplexing how, even with the market correction and the economy on unstable footing, homeowners will cling to the hope of a sales price that they “could have gotten” – or a neighbor did get – three years ago.

That Market No Longer Exists

Today’s market is buyer driven and ruthlessly value focused. The buyer pool is smaller, money is tighter and neither buyers  - nor their agents – will so much glance at a home if it’s not priced to sell and in excellent condition. Make an offer on an overpriced home? Why bother, when you can make a better offer on one that’s priced to sell?

What sellers don’t often realize is that even if – by some strange fluke – a buyer WAS willing to pay more than market value for their home, no lender is going to finance it if the home does not appraise. And you can rest assured that it will not.

I wish it would have worked out with these sellers, I really do. But real estate agents are marketers and market experts, not miracle workers. We analyze market data for our clients, present and discuss their options and – ultimately – trust that the facts will guide our clients to do the right thing. For the most part, that’s the way it works out. Occasionally, it does not.

The official Annapolis area real estate statistics haven’t been released yet, but I just reviewed the numbers for June in the MLS and they pretty much confirm what we already knew: a lot of first time home buyers are out there buying homes.

Nationwide, the National Association of Realtors reports that about 52% of home sales right now are to first time home buyers. I think the percentage may be even higher around here. Have a look at this video, and let me know if you agree.

And if you’d like to talk about Annapolis area real estate – buying a home or selling one – give me a call at 410-507-7222 or send me an email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you and find out how we can be of service.

(To view the video, click on  link that immediately follows, then click on the play button.)

You – or someone you know – has a home for sale and you’re wondering why it’s just languishing there on the real estate vine while other homes are being plucked off like ripe fruit by willing buyers.

There might be any number of reasons why, and it’s time you identified them and got your home IN – not just ON – the market. Maybe watching this video will help.

If you have any questions at all about Annapolis area real estate, or would like to offer feedback about this video or any post on this blog, feel free to call me, Ken Haedrich, at 410-507-7222. Or send me an email at kenhaedrich@gmail.com. Thanks for watching.

(To view the video, click on the link that immediately follows, then click on the video’s play button.)

So You’ve Been Sitting on the Fence, Waiting for the Perfect Time to Buy a Home Here in the Annapolis Area: A Video Post

But when IS the best time? When home prices appear to have bottomed out? And is it even possible to time the real estate market?

As you’ll see in the video here, I explain that there’s a little more to the affordability equation than meets the eye. Have a look.

And if you’d like to talk me about home affordability, interest rates, buying or selling a home – just send me an email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com, or you can reach me on my cell – 410-507-7222. We’d love to hear from you.

(To view the video, click on the link that immediately follows, then click on the play button.)

Are you selling your Annapolis home, or at least thinking about it? If so, I’ll bet you’re wondering about open houses…whether or not they work (something I’ll talk about in an upcoming video)…and the dreaded Nosey Neighbors.

Frankly, you needn’t be concerned – at least that’s what we tell our sellers. Watch this video to find out why.

If you want to talk to me – Ken Haedrich – about the nosey neighbors, selling a home or buying one in the Annapolis area, just call me at 410-507-7222 or email me at KenHaedrich@gmail.com. We have a great team and we’d love to help you.

(To watch the video, click on the highlighted link that immediately follows, then click the video’s play button.)