Lake of the Ozarks Real Estate

The New and Improved Home Buyer Tax Credit

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:22:09 -0500

This is very Newsworthy information and welcome information for everyone here at Lake of the Ozarks here in Missouri. While feelings are mixed as to increased Government spending, in essence; are we robbing from Peter to pay Paul? Should the government be invovled at all? This is possibly something that can help the Real Estate market get moving again and in turn the rest of the economy. Time will tell, but this should be good news for anyone looking to buy a home in the next few months.

Via Claudette Millette - Metrowest Mass Exclusive Buyer Broker (The Buyers' Counsel):

The much-anticipated extension to the home buyer tax credit has finally been approved. The Senate's vote yesterday resulted in a 98-0 win and today it was passed in the house. The bill now moves to the President's desk for a final signature.

First-time home buyers have been eligible for tax credits of up to $8,000 since last January as part of this year's economic stimulus package. The newly backed program will expand the credit to include existing home owners.

Under the revised program, those who have owned a home for at least five years will be able to apply for tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase their next home.  To qualify, buyers will have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30.

The maximum purchase price on a home will be $800,000 with vacation homes not eligible. Income limitations are $125,000 for single tax payers and $225,000 for joint filers.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) have been lobbying hard for the extension and expansion of the tax credit. NAR claims that so far, about 1.4 million first-time homebuyers have qualified for the program and they estimated that 350,000 of these buyers would not have otherwise purchased.

The tax credit is also set to be extended for another year for military personnel serving outside of the United States until June 30, 2011.

Senator Johnny Isakson, who heavily pushed for the extension, along with his own version that would have increased the credit to $15,000 stated, "This is probably the last extension."

But, is this really true? When April 2011 comes around and the housing market is still not in full recovery mode, will the politicians be able to let this go and actually come to an end, or could it possibly become a more permanent subsidy?

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Copyright 2009 - Claudette Millette, Broker, Owner, TheBuyersCounsel - 800-392-1446  - E-mail

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David has years of real world sales & marketing experience, his career has been in Sales, Marketing and Real Estate. He has numerous sales records & awards to his credit, some that still remain unbroken. Since selling his companies and moving to his home at Lake of the Ozarks he has became a licensed Realtor and is now helping people successfully sell their properties in these trying times. Visit Lake of the Ozarks Real Estate

This Should Concern Every American

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:40:05 -0400

This is not related particularly to real estate, but it effects you all the same.

Never before in the history of our country have our constitutional rights come under so much attack. The White house is now trying to dictate who can report the news, and Fox News has become their next target to silence. What happened to freedom of speech and of the press, whether you agree with it or not?

Talk about hypocrisy, how can the White House claim Fox does not report legitimate news? Based on what? Is it the fact that they (the current administration) simply aren't being praised like royalty, as the other networks are doing? It is, in my opinion, the other networks and mainstream media outlets that are having a problem reporting legitimate news; it is quite obvious they are biased towards their King (Obama). Any other president would have been crucified for the blunders & misleading statements Obama has made, but yet they don't even mention them. They (CNN) even went as far as to interview Sarah Palins daughter’s x-boyfriend on National TV to see if they get any dirt on her. What is their fascination with her? She is not running this country, so why are they afraid of her to the point they want to destroy her. This is trying to create news not report it. This reminds me more of a National Enquirer type reporting. What kind of legitimate news is this? Who cares what an immature kid has to say anyway, and what does this have to do with anything. This is big news according to the mainstream media outlets. I don't care what Sarah Palin said, I care about what this White House is doing to our Country; Report That!

It would appear most of the news outlets have become nothing more than gossip & propaganda outlets, hell bent on brain washing the masses.

Thank God we still have Fox News.

It’ perfectly OK if you do not agree with me, that is the point, we were all given these rights under the constitution of this country; good, bad, right or wrong, you are entitled to free speech and a free press. We have never really had to worry about those rights until now.

Below is a email I received earlier today:

If you haven't heard this, the White House is accusing Fox News of not being a legitimate source of news, calling them biased, etc. They have tried to block Fox reporters from news conferences, etc., NPR has put a survey online for us to voice our opinion. It started out 71% in favor of the White House, because mainly liberals log on to the NPR website, but that has now reversed, I think people are starting to understand their rights may be at stake regardless of their political affiliation.

If Fox loses this poll you can bet Obama will mention it as support for his attack on Fox.

Let's show them how we feel about honest conservative news reporting.

To vote log onto:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/10/in_white_house_vs_fox_news_war.html

or click here

Hidden Paradise, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri Ozarks

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:09:19 -0400

The Lake of the Ozarks is considered one of Americas favorite Playgrounds & Getaways. Tucked away in Central Missouri's Ozarks a hidden treasure awaits you, this may be the Midwest's best kept secret, and there is something here for everyone and every lifestyle.

The Lake of the Ozarks is almost 100 miles long and has close to 1200 miles of shoreline from the quiet and tranquil side of the lake to the side that has all the amenities of a big city, whatever your taste you can find it here. Whether you are looking for a relaxing vacation or getaway at a World Class Spa or you prefer the Lakes many popular Lakefront entertainment venues, the Lake of the Ozarks has it all. It also is home to the largest outlet mall in the state, so you are in the right place if shopping is your thing, the lake has become a very popular shopping destination, with more Shopping Centers scheduled to open in the near future. There is no better destination for variety of styles and taste in the Midwest than Lake of the Ozarks.

The Lake has become much more than a summer destination, thousands of visitors flock to the Ozark Mountains at the Lake for the breathtaking fall foliage and the Holiday Festivals and Light displays. Take in a Holiday Show at the Main Street Music Hall and truly get in the spirit of the season, then sit back and enjoy the winter scenery around a fire at one of the lodges or resorts or what a great place to have your own piece of paradise. While tourism is the Lakes major industry, 2nd home ownership & retirement living are even bigger & growing. Real Estate is much more than just a great investment here, it is a lifestyle.

The season gets its spring start with the St Patrick's Day Parade in March, with a Parade on Land & Water, big city celebrations & parades have nothing on this Lake in the Missouri Ozarks

In the summer the lakes hot spots are some of the most unique venues you will find anywhere in the country, with places like the famous Horny Toad & Shady Gators at Toad Cove, Docknockers, Franky & Louie's, Bambooz, Backwater Jacks, Peckers, Shorty Pants, Dog Days, Captain Ron's & Big Dicks Halfway Inn. You are sure to find your favorite Hot Spot and I almost forgot the infamous Party Cove which has made national news on several occasions, this is one place at the lake you don't want to take the kids.

Maybe you would just rather enjoy the Lake on your boat or jet-ski and spend the afternoon coving out; there are plenty to choose from as there are literally hundreds of coves. From totally secluded to Party Cove and everything in between, the choice is yours.

Almost all of the waterfront restaurants & bars have nightly entertainment with very talented well known local & national artist. On the weekends entertainment is all day and into the evening. The City Grill Blue Room has National Acts with Wednesday's Comedy Night. The Main Street Music Hall has a show every evening but Sunday during the season and is a very entertaining variety show with a mixture of comedy, country & gospel for a change of pace. And on Sunday you can attend the church of your choice, the only thing that outnumbers nightly hot spots are the churches and there are a variety of those as well, from traditional to contemporary.

The lake is also host to 2 of the largest boat races in the country, The Shootout at Captain Ron's and The OSS Championships at Toad Cove with several Poker Runs throughout the year.

And for all of you Golfers the lake is home to the finest golf courses in the Midwest. There are many yearly tournaments and golf packages available through several area resorts. The golf courses are challenging and beautiful and you have 16 to choose from. Several of these overlook the Lake of the Ozarks itself.

Things start to calm down in the fall with the beautiful fall colors which lead back into the Holiday Season; this is truly a Four Seasons Paradise. There truly is something for everyone and I bet you can't make just one visit. I couldn't and now I live here.

Easily Obtained, Seldom Desired

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:22:06 -0400

As Real Estate Professionals, we must remember to be successful we must be marketers and salespeople first. Sometimes we just have to get back to the basics of selling.

Remember anything easily obtained is seldom desired, this is true no matter what you sell and right now this is especially true with property. The buyer believes all Real Estate is easily obtained (as far as prices are concerned) so there is no urgency to buy or they expect the seller to give it away.

So how do you create urgency to sell your property in a buyers market?

First of all change your mindset, stop believing you have to drop your price to sell. Yes I know we are in a buyers market, but dropping the price seldom produces the outcome you are wanting. What happens when you drop the listing price and someone has an interest in the property? They think they can get it for even less, which many times they do, driving prices down further and creating a snowball effect. So if you use the same methods you have been using you are pretty much assured of getting the same results you have been getting. Now you certainly can't over price either, but how do you get the actual market value?

Make the buyer think it is a bargain, create urgency, make the property different, it must be unique. Every home has something unique, use it to create a USP (unique selling proposition). Now couple this with the biggest motivator for action "The Fear Of Losing" nothing will create urgency to act more than the fear of losing. Create the fear of losing by running a limited time offer, for instance instead of lowering the listing price, run a price promotion or add-on for two weeks, but you must give them a reason to act now!

Get the customer emotionally involved in the property (make them take mental ownership) & then start taking it away from them (fear of losing).

The biggest mistake you can ever make is to come across as being desperate to make a sale, this is the opposite of what you should do, and you will very seldom if ever get the results you want with this approach. You must have the attitude that this is great deal and won't last long and then back it up with the USP. The buyer must actually feel you are doing him a favor by making this property available to them.

We have implemented several of these strategies here at Lake of the Ozarks with great success.

If you get creative you can come up with all kinds of different ideas, by simply changing the way you approach the sales process. Why do you think auctions work? They create urgency and the Fear of Losing. You can use the same principles, without an actual auction and for much less expense to the seller. (There is an idea for you right there). Start thinking outside of the box.

Here is an example:

I have asked several people if I called them at 2:00am woke them from a sound sleep and told them I knew a way to make a $100.00 if they would get out of bed right now. The answer I received was No Way or Your Crazy, etc., then I asked what they would do if I called and told them I just saw someone stealing their 100.00 lawnmower out of their garage and got a totally different answer, most people would immediately jump up a chase the thief down the street. What's the difference? "Fear of Losing" is a bigger motivator than simply gaining something. Use this to your advantage.

Is Someone or Something Stealing Your Dreams?

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:46:49 -0400

As salespeople we should all understand we are a product of our environment. If we are around people who say you can't sell or you must discount the price because of the economy, we eventually start to believe it ourselves.

In the almost 30 years I have been in the sales field one thing I know for certain is this; you control your environment or it controls you. I have never seen a time when that was more true than today, the economy is simply a mindset we must get over.

I set a sales record at the age of 20, it was 1980 and I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but as I look back I did have something, It was called Enthusiasm. I just knew I was going to be successful. Do you remember those days, when you were young, ignorant of failure and going to set the world on fire.

Until; somebody or something stole your dream.

You see I did not know all the reasons people didn't buy or couldn't buy, until one day someone asked me what I was doing; don't you know the prime interest rate is 18% and people are losing their jobs? Things are bad and the end of the world as we know it is here. Guess what? I stopped selling! Why try? Things are bad, we better prepare for it to get worse and it did.

If you are just starting out you are in the right place and at the right time, don't let anyone or anything steal your dream. If you have been around awhile and have let life get in the way of living, get your dreams back. Set your Goals and stick to them, you may have setbacks and have to adjust, that is OK, just don't quit and you will succeed.

Life is a self fulfilling prophesy; You get what you expect, not what you think you deserve.

I was lucky, I was still intelligently ignorant to the fact that you could not succeed in trying times. I finally woke up and realized the sales I made were not a fluke. I did it because those people wanted what I had and I made them want it and not at a discount but full price, which was twice what some of my competitors were selling for and I outsold them 2 to 1. Now there is a lot more to this story, but in a nutshell, I learned a valuable lesson that I haven't forgotten over the years.

Business is never as bad in the marketplace, as it is between our ears.

Remember that thing I called Enthusiasm; that's what made my sales, It is the most contagious emotion you can posses and it gets business, but instead I was letting our most powerful emotion called Fear control me. Now here is the funny part, the fear was not real, but the Enthusiasm was. Fear is an emotion that can freeze us in our tracks, yet it is not real, It is False Evidence Appearing Real. I am sure most of you have heard this yet we still do it.

Did you know that fear & faith cannot co-exist and that the meaning of Enthusiasm traced back to its original meaning is God in us

In my years of training salespeople, selling and as a business owner, one thing I know for an absolute fact,

your most powerful sales tool is between your ears.

How much time are you spending on improving it? This is not speculation or theory. I have a 30 year documented study that proves It. My Life, not to mention the thousands of pages of notes from the past thirty years. I didn't say this was easy, but if you want different results than you are getting now, It starts between your ears first by taking back your Dreams. You are never to old or to young, just get started.

There are many great publications and authors that can help get you on the right track, but you have to start now and don't use the economy as an excuse. I have read many great books and have a massive library including courses that I have spent thousands on, but here is a publication written by a Quantum Physicist that I believe helped me as much as anything I have read. Check it out

Be the Top salesperson in your office uncover the missing ingredient that you already posses.

I also know there will be those that say this is nonsense, to those I simply say; Congratulations on having everything you want in life.

To everyone else I hope you truly get everything you want out of your life, and in some small way maybe this will help.

Social Networking & Real Estate

David Braddy (Reece & Nichols Lake Ozark Real Estate) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:38:56 -0400

Selling in todays market you must stay up to date with the latest selling methods. We have methods available today that I would not have imagined when I started my sales career. The problem today is the fact technology is changing so rapidly it is sometimes hard to keep up. If you are not taking advantage of Social Networking to Sell property you will soon be left behind. The most popular methods today are:

Twitter check it out Here
You Tube
Flikr
A Great place to advertise property and set up a mini site is Squidoo; Check it out Here
And of Course Facebook, if your not marketing here you are missing out. This is now the 4th largest site on the Internet Check Out my Lake of the Ozarks Page Here

I know it is hard to stay up to speed with so many changes taking places in marketing with Social Networking and Web 2.0 and now Cell phone marketing is becoming big marketing vertical.

We have never before been able to reach so many people almost instantaneously. This can be a salespersons greastest tool or biggest downfall if you don't embrace these methods.

You must stay up to date with these methods or you lose your market share to those who are. For the best information by far on Social Networking and particularly Facebook Go Here