The best tool I have for determining the value of your home is called the Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). When performing a CMA, there are three big questions that I attempt to answer: a) At what price are homes actually selling?; b) What is the competition seeking in terms of price?; and c) How much is too much? The answers to these questions come from three different types of data.

Homes recently sold will give you an answer to the first question. You normally will find a range of sold prices. At the low end are homes that were not in very good condition, and in a neighborhood that is rejuvenating, this may in deed be the value of the lot. At the middle of the range are homes that are structurally sound but still need cosmetic updating. At the high end of the range are the homes that have been remodelled.

The answer to the second question comes from active properties. Here you can see where the competition is priced. In a neighborhood undergoing rennovation, it is very important to at least see pictures of these homes to determine the improvements that have been done.

The final question is answered by homes that have expired. Generally, these homes expired because the seller was asking more in price than the market would bear for a home in that condition. They were asking too much.

The art is to now place your home in the spectrum described. If your home is fully updated with new kitchen, baths, flooring, etc and is great structural shape then you belong at the top of the price list. In older neighborhoods I have heard these homes referred to as 1958 on the outside, 2011 on the inside.

If you home is in average condition, meaning that it has been very well maintained, is clean, and may have a few updates then the value of your home is at or just above the average home value in the neighborhood.

A final clarification on this process. It is vitally important to start with the right set of comparable homes. I generally define a neighborhood by looking at the boundaries formed by large roads, creeks, train tracks, utility easements or other barriers that suggest the edge of the nighborhood. In terms of the actual homes, I try to select homes that are within about 500sf of the target with a similar bed/bath count.

A real estate BROKER is licensed to conduct a real estate transaction between a Buyer and a Seller and must be present in every transaction where real estate agents are involved. Most frequently, this person is the head of the real estate office where the agents work.

A real estate AGENT is a professional with a license that must be sponsored by a real estate broker. They are the people that you as a consumer will encounter in the transaction. They work for the real estate broker, and can not complete a real estate transaction without the broker’s oversight.

This creates an apprenticeship in the industry. In most states, a newly licensed professional must work for a broker for a certain number of years before they can qualify to become a broker themselves.

There are also many very experienced agents who have never chosen to pursue a broker’s license. They like working “in the field” as real estate agents, rather than running an office as a broker. They can be very experienced and may have amassed as much or more real estate knowledge than the broker that they work for, but prefer the job of working directly with Buyers and Sellers to that of an office administrator.

So to make a long story short, the broker is the person that runs the real estate office. The agents are the people who work directly with the consumers in the transaction.

Finally, there are some people who are licensed as Brokers, but still perform the role of an agent. This is usually the result of a preference for field vs. office work – at least that is the case with me.

Who will win the contract race?

I have encountered this question a few times recently, so I thought I would write a brief explanation.

First, let me clearly say that in the great State of Texas, there can only be one fully executed contract on a property at a time.

Now for the part that seems to create confusion. When dealing with residential real estate, an offer is generally submitted on a contract form and the agents have a habit of referring to offers as contracts. So you may hear that “we have received multiple contracts on this property”. What is really being said is that there are multiplte offers. An offer, even though it is submitted on a contract form, does not become a contract until both Buyer and Seller agree to every term and fully execute the document. Then, to remain a valid contract, the terms specified in the contract must be executed. On of the first of these terms is the deposit of earnest money.

So, when I represent a Buyer and I hear that “there is a contract on the property”, I always ask if it has been fully executed. If the answer is “no”, then it is only an offer, and there may still be a chance for my Buyer to get into the mix.

Now for the multiple offer scenario. As a listing agent, it is always my objective to attract multiple offers on a property. This creates a bidding war environment. When I receive the first offer, I will call other agents who have expressed interest in the property and let them know that we have received an offer. My hope is that it will move their client to action to also submit an offer. If we can get two or more in play at the same time, the outcome is usually better for the Seller.

As a Buyers agent, I extend offers that ask for a very quick response to keep the above scenario from happening. If my Buyers offer is the only offer in play, that tends to make the negotiation go better for the Buyer.

But at the end of the negotiations, there is only one contract that will get fully executed. The other party may wish to enter into a back-up position. If the first contract does not close, the back-up contract immediately moves into first place without the property going back to market. Finally, there can be only one back-up contract.

After a backup contract has been executed, any other offers received remain “in limbo” until something happens to the first contract. If the first contract fails to close, the back-up contract moves into first place. If there are still other offers that have come forward, one of these can be selected to go into the back-up position. This continues until the property sale closes.

It is rare to have this much interest in a property, but occasionally it does happen. I have had success in closing back-up contracts from both the Listing and the Buying position.

I hope this provides some clarity on the issue. There can be only one fully executed contract at a time, and the rules for forming a queue behind this contract are very clear – one at a time.

I love the real estate market – there’s always a great story to be told, and a new experience to be had. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any crazier, they did. Here’s the story…

I recently represented a young lady in the purchase of her first home. Being a first time home buyer, we were looking at small homes that were financially distressed – we were bargain hunting. We found the perfect home in east Dallas, a 1950′s era 3/2 that was in short sale for about 60% of the value it had appraised for just two years ago. As we toured the home, we could not access the garage – it was locked and the key did not fit. When I later inquired about accessing the garage, I heard the craziest story ever about needing to re-key the property.

After the owner vacated the property, a person we’ll call Joe ConMan noticed that it was vacant. He proceeded to pose on the internet as the owner of the property. He entered into a lease agreement with a unsuspecting young couple, newly married with a small child. He collected the first month’s rent and the damage deposit. On move-in day, the Tenant could not get access to the house. Joe Conman has the Tenant call a locksmith, and then meets them at the property. He cons the locksmith into believing that he is the property owner, gets him to open the house, and then leaves – vanishing to never be seen again.

The Tenant begins moving into the house when a neighbor comes over to investigate. Having not seen either the owner or the owners agent, he calls the listing agent to confirm that the house had been leased. A very surprised listing agent then called the police. The tenant was forced to vacate the property, and lost the damage deposit and rent they had paid to Joe ConMan.

I learned a couple of lessons from this story. First, get to know the neighbors around your listings, especially if they are vacant. The actions of a consciencious neighbor kept this situation from getting any worse. Second, keep a close eye on your vacant property listings – you never know when something crazy like this might happen to them.

Here’s a Spring present for all you homeowners. As usual, the Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) is lagging the market. Just as real estate values and activity are increasing, The Dallas Central Appraisal District has announced that sixty percent (60%) of homeowners will see a decrease in their taxable property value this year – YEAH! That means that most of us will be receiving a decrease in our property tax bill for 2010. Enjoy the break – I believe it will reverse next year!!

The Dallas Central Appraisal District also stated that approximately twenty percent (20%) of home values will rise. I suspect a number of these are homes which had permitted improvements accomplished over the last year, or are recent sales of previously undervalued real estate. The final twenty percent (20%) of values will remain constant.

That’s a fairly substantial move for the Appraisal Distict to have made, adjusting the values of about eighty percent (80%) of the homes in Dallas County.

For a complete report on this issue, please see the Dallas Morning News article.

Texas Real Estate Commission

My Dad always told me that if something seemed too good to be true, it was probably not true. This simple piece of advice has kept me out of many sticky situations. I just received an e-mail from the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) warning the public about real estate brokerage scams in the DFW area. I felt compelled to pass the warning along. It is very easy to find out if a person hold a license from the Texas Real Estate Commission – you can look up any persons license number by following this link.

Here is the beginning of the warning message from the Texas Real Estate Commission:

The Texas Real Estate Commission Standards and Enforcement Services Division (TREC) has received complaints against a group of individuals and companies that have been doing business in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The individuals and companies named in the complaints represent themselves as real estate agents and real estate brokerage companies but do not hold Texas real estate licenses. Owners of real property, tenants, buyers, and investors claim to have lost large sums of money related to the group’s real estate schemes. Among other things, the complainants allege that the group takes and keeps deposits for properties over which they have no authority or no control. They allegedly do not pay rent to property owners on property they claim to manage for those owners, or take large security deposits from tenants and then keep the money. They take deposits or earnest money on properties that they claim are available for a short sale but in reality are days away from foreclosure. Apparently, much of the solicitation of potential victims has been conducted through www.craigslist.com.

For the full article, click here.

If you’re interested in using the flurry of first time home buyers in the market to get you out of your current home, there is still time, but you must act fast. You could be eligible for up to a $6500 tax credit for selling an existing home if you have lived in that home for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Your buyer could be eligible for a tax credit of up to $8,000. The catch?? The contracts must be signed by April 30th.

So with that in mind, how do you sell a home in 30 days or less? The answer is just three simple steps…

First, make it look beautiful. For most, this does not have to be an expensive proposition, but it does require a bit of sweat to accomplish. A thorough, very deep cleaning is in order before your home foes on the market – inside and out. Wash those windows that you have neglected for a year, weed the shrub beds, trim the shrubs and lay down a fresh layer of mulch. Cut the grass and edge the curbs (yes even now while the gras is just beginning to come back to life). Scrub the grout in tile floors in halls, kitchens and baths. Scrub the grout in showers. If you have glass shower doors, get them squeaky clean. Dust all of the places that have been ignored. Clean out the closets. The list goes on and on – its all the stuff that we all avoid. Now is the time to get it done. For a final touch, look through each room and identify furniture that is seldom used, and then remove it. Your house will sparkle and will look extra large at the end of this step.

Step two is to determine the right price for your home. Don’t be greedy – greed and speed do not mix. What you are seeking is a fair price for the current condition of your home. If the interior of your home looks like it was comletely remodelled in 2010, then the top price of the market may be quickly achievable. To elaborate, these homes should have wood floors, marble counters, stainless steel appliances, trendy colors, no wall paper, decorative lighting, etc etc. Most homes do not look like this. If your home has some of these things but not all, it is going to fall in line with the average home. If your home is in need of major repairs, you may still be able to sell it quickly, you just need to discount the price by an amount roughly equal to the cost of performing these repairs. Your best bet at determining this price is to consult with a REALTOR who can present recent sales figures and help you determine the right price for a quick sale.

The third step is intense marketing. Just as you are finding this information on the internet, about 80% of home buyers now start their search on the internet. Your home needs to be advertised on all of the major real estate portals – REALTOR.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Homes.com, Yahoo.com, Google.com, major real estate brokerage sites, your local newspaper’s web site, TV station web sites. Even some retailers have home search web sites. You need to be everywhere at once. For the best presentation, your listing with these sites should be chock full of photos. Interenet consumers want to see what your home looks like. A minimum of 25 pictures is recommended. Thing carefully about a virtual tour as well.

Combining all three of these WILL yield a fast sale of your existing home, particularly if it is priced in the range of the first time home buyer. Over the past six months, my average time on market for 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes is 10-14 days. These homes have been located in both Dallas and the suburbs of Plano, Richardson, and Little Elm.

NOW is a great time to be in the real estate market. The next month will see an extraordinary number of sales. Hopefully you will be one of them!!>/p>

Over the course of the last year, I have noticed that my personal sales history shows that smaller homes are selling much faster than larger homes.  I have seen a number of 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes sell in less than 30 days, even in this austere market.  And these homes are selling for strong prices, several having appreciated in the last year.  One of the small homes that I sold in 2009 set the mark for the highest price per square foot in its Plano neighborhood.

Across the nation, the strength of smaller size homes seems to be consistent.  A USA Today article published this morning addresses this topic directly.  The article quotes statistics from the National Association of Home Builders noting that this trend has not been overlooked by those who bring new product to the market.  The median square footage of homes has dropped about 9%, from a peak of 2300 sq ft in the third quarter of 2006 to 2100 sq ft in the same period of 2009.

I believe there are a couple of factors that cause this trend to occur.  First, the general strength of the economy has everyone scrutinizing expenditures, and people are beginning to realize that they can survive on less.  The thought pattern goes something like this “We’d love to have the media room, but do I really need it?  Perhaps now is not the time – we’ll get that in the next house.”  Second, the strongest segment of the market is in first time home buyers.  People are realizing that given price levels, interest rates and tax incentives, it make sense to buy a home rather than rent for those who can qualify for a mortgage.  First time home buyers have not built up equity over the years and usually start by purchasing smaller homes.  The combination of these occurrences leads to smaller homes outperforming larger homes in the current market.

So what’s the moral of the story?  If you have been in your first home for the last several years, and are thinking that perhaps now is the time to move up, you couldn’t be more right.  Your smaller starter home will yield the best price in the market, and the home that you purchase will likely be discounted from its level of the past couple of years.  The market is taking shape to make now the best time to step into a larger home.

The Plano City Council is set to vote Monday on a $2 million economic incentive package to woo Pizza Hut from its current Addison headquarters location to a new facility to be developed in Plano.  The new development would be part of the Legacy business park in West Plano.

Time for a move?

In my opinion, this is a great play by the city of Plano.  Plano has done an exceptional job of attracting corporate headquarters to its fair city, and this is another shining opportunity.  The Pizza Hut relocation comes complete with approximately 450 high paying jobs and will provide a boost to the Plano economy.

Even though the relocation distance from their current location on the Dallas North Tollway in Addison, the move to Plano should serve as a nice stimulus to property values in West Plano.  The additional jobs will create additional residential housing demand in the neighborhoods in close proximity to the Legacy Business Park.  The move will not happen immediately.  The current lease on the Pizza Hut headquarters expires in 2010, and Pizza Hut will have to ready its new facility before making the move.

Kudos to the city of Plano who in the past year has attracted approximately 20 companies and over 4,500 new jobs in the midst of the largest economic downturn our country has faced in many decades.  No recession in Plano – keep gowing!!

For more information on this story, please see the Dallas Business Journal article – Pizza Hut Incentives on Plano’s Agenda.

Did you notice the lack of the words “First Time” in the title.  Here’s a little something for those of us who already own a piece of the American dream.  If last year’s tax credit was enough to get first time buyers into the market, let’s hope that this stimulates things even more.

Congress and President Obama have seen fit to extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit into 2010, and they have significantly increased the scope of the incentive.  It is now available to anyone homeowner who meets certain income guidelines and sells their home between Nov 7, 2009 and May 31, 2010.  And the definition of sell is now translated as enter into a contract to sell by May 31, 2010 and close by Jul 31, 2010.

Homebuyer Tax Credit — Revised November 2009

The tax credit to existing homeowners is up to $6,500, so if you were thinking about upgrading the homestead, now is definitely the time to act. Low interest rates, great buys available in the market, and a tax credit to boot – it’s the “perfect storm” for making the move to the larger house, or the incentive to finally downsize into the cozy home, depending on your vantage point of life.

In upcoming posts, I’ll examine some financial strategies for accessing this tax credit during the course of your transaction. Stay tuned…