June-July 2012 Newsletter

February-March 2012 Newsletter

Happy Holidays from Camille Burns

4 Steps to a Pet-Friendly House

The family pet is an integral member of many households - and an integral factor when buyers are looking for a new place to call home.  62% of U.S. households own a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association's 2009-2010 National Pet Owner Survey.  Dogs are most popular in 45% of households, followed by cats in 38% of households.

Here are 4 tips to ensure that the property you are looking for meets the needs of your furry friends:

Give your realtor the basic information about your pet(s):

Let your realtor know your pet's breed, weight, age and exercise regimen.  If you are planning to add more pets, be sure to inquire about any restrictions on number of animals allowed in multi-family buildings or homeowner associations.  This information will also help in determining the type and size of property you need. 

Do your homework!

The home you are looking at may have a marvelous chef's kitchen and upgrades galore, but if your pet isn't comfortable, you won't be happy!  Let your realtor know what specific amenities or features you are seeking for your pet.  That gives the realtor time to do research to find out if the property or community you are interested in has any pet restrictions.

Work closely with your realtor:

Your realtor will be able to provide you with a pet resource list for your market area. Included on that list will be veterinary clinics, emergency clinics, boarding facilities, dog parks, walking paths, grooming facilities, pet supply stores and pet friendly restaurants.

Consider the property's layout:

Let your realtor know of any little extras you may want to have for your pet, such as a laundry room with space enough to wash your pet, under-window benches to store pet toys, extra kitchen storage for pet food, fenced-in yard, etc.

It's Time to Buy Again!

Forget Stocks.  Don't bet on gold.  After four years 

of plunging home prices, the most attractive 

asset class in America is housing!

If all the noise you're hearing about housing has you totally confused, join the crowd.  One day you'll read that owning a home has never been more affordable.  The next day you'll see news that housing starts h ave plunged to nearly their lowest level in half a century, as headlines announced in March.  After four years of falling prices and surging foreclosures, it's hard to know what to think.

Even Robert Shiller and Karl Case can't agree.  The two economists, who together created the widely followed S&P Case - Shiller Home Price indices, are right now offering sharply contrasting views of housing's future.  Shiller recently warned that the chances were high for a further double-digit drop in U.S. home prices.

But in an interview with Fortune, Case took a far brighter view:  "The lack of new home building is a huge help that a lot of people are ignoring," says Case.  "People think I'm crazy to be optimistic, but housing is looking like the little engine that could!"

To see where real estate is truly headed, it's critical to keep your eyes firmly on the fundamentals that, over time, always determine the course of prices and construction.  During the last decade's historic run-up in prices, Fortune repeatedly warned that things were moving too fast.  In a cover story titled, "Is the Housing Boom Over?", this writer's analysis found that the basic forces that govern the market - the cost of owning vs. renting, and the level of new construction - were in bubble territory.  Eventually, reality set in, and prices plummeted.  Our current view focuses on those same fundamentals, only now they're pointing in the opposite direction.

So, let's state it simply and forcibly:

HOUSING IS BACK! 

Two basic factors are laying the foundation for dramatic recovery in residential real estate.  The first is the historic drop in new construction that so amazes Castleman.  The second is a steep decline in prices, on the order of 30% nationwide since 2006, and as much as 55% in the hardest-hit markets.

The story of this downturn has been an astonishing flight from the traditional American approach of buying new houses to an embrace of renting.  But the new affordability will gradually lure Americans back to buying homes.  And the return of the homeowner will start raising prices in many markets this year.

Excerpts taken from article in the Fortune Magazine April 2011

 To read the complete article, go to:

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/28/real-estate-its-time-to-buy-again/ 

December 2010 Real Estate News

New Office:  Same Goals and Objectives!

Re/Max Preferred is the company I started working for after leaving Re/Max Partners in August 2010.  Re/Max Preferred serves Broward County, Florida, with offices located at 2801 Oakland Park Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale, and 2 S. University Dr. in Plantation.

My goals and objectives as a realtor have not changed!  I am committed to my clients to:

• Get property fully exposed to the market as quickly as possible
• Help net my clients the most money possible
• Make every qualified buyer in the area aware of property
• Maintain good communications with my clients

My real estate designations and memberships are as follows:

• Luxury Home realtor
• Member of Master Broker Forum (MBF)
• Accredited Staging Professional (ASP)
• Member of the 100% Clu
• Member of the Executive Clu
• Certified Foreclosure Specialist (CDPE)

  

Real Estate Marketing Tools

There are a variety of tools that I use to help meet the goals and objectives I have established in order to better serve the buyers and sellers that seek my expertise.  Below is a brief description of a few of these tools.

• www.camilleburns.com:  I have my own website that is updated and maintained regularly.  All of my current listings are displayed, and visitors can search the MLS.  All visitors to my website are able to email me with requests for more information about any of my listings and emails are answered promptly.
• www.sfloridarealestate.blogspot.com:  I contribute to my blog on a regular basis, and showcase various listings there from time to time.
• Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Lauderdale:  As a realtor, I am a member of the Realtor Assoc and have access to all the powerful tools provided by this organization.  I also attend various classes regularly to make sure I am up to speed on the latest software to enhance my real estate business.
• R-World.com:  this website is updated daily with late-breaking real estate news and developments and helps keep me in the loop of what’s going on in the real estate market.
• Point2Agent:  All of my listings are advertised across a wide array of popular consumer search websites such as Yahoo, Google, Zillow, Trulia, etc.
• Claris Market Metrics:  Claris is a wonderful tool that allows me to show my clients up-to-date, real time statistics about the real estate market and how their property fits the profile.
• Immobel International:  One of the most exciting tools that are available thru our association is Immobel International.  This program allows me to set up a webpage where all of  my listings are translated into a variety of languages.  People are able to connect to my webpage no matter where they are in the world or what language they speak!
• RealBiz360° and Virtual Tours.com:  These programs allow me to create a visual tour of each of my listings.  These tours are posted with each listing in MLS.
• www.craigslist.com:  All of my listings are posted and updated regularly on Craig’s list.  All inquiries that come via Craig’s List are answered promptly.

August Real Estate News and Activity

$8,000 Tax credit for new homebuyers has been extended to September 30, 2010! New home buyers still have to have been under contract by April 30, 2010, to qualify. Call me if you have any questions about this extension.

EASY FIXES FOR 2 HOUSEHOLD PROBLEMS

Problem 1:  Oil Stains on Garage Floor

You can remove most of a stubborn stain with a bit of elbow grease and scrubbing.  

First, remove the surface oil by sprinkling some cat litter on it to soak it up.  Then clear away the cat litter and focus on the stain.  Make a paste of hot water and dry dish or laundry detergent.  Use a stiff bristle scrub brush to scrub the area with the paste.  Hose the area and let it dry.  Another method is to use a product such as Spray 'n Wash on the stain for 10 minutes, along with a dry detergent.  Your last option is to spray on some oven cleaner.  Use this sparingly, wash it down thoroughly and keep children and pets away from it."  Real Life Home May 2010

Problem 2:  Leaky Faucet

Most faucet leaks can be easily fixed with a rubber washer, an O-ring, or seals - depending on what type of faucet it is.  By fixing the problem yourself, you can save a good bit of money since plumbers can be very expensive and will charge you a standard fee, even if the repair only takes them 10 minutes.  Real Life Home May 2010

The Curb appeal of your home is a critical factor in attracting prospective buyers.  A potential buyer will come to a decision on the compatibility of a new home within the first few minutes of seeing it.

The first step to enhancing the appearance of your home is to look at your home through the eyes of a potential buyer.  From small tasks like weeding, mowing the lawn, or simply cleaning out the storage closet, to large undertakings such as painting or remodeling the exterior, all projects will help with the sale of your home.

Another consideration is to hire a licensed Home Stager who can come in and give you very good and inexpensive ideas to organize and declutter your home to increase its "sellability".

My job and top priority is to help you determine which home improvement projects will get you the greatest bang for your buck and to help you get the best price for your home.  Please call me any time!