Clogged drain? Get Thrift!
Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate Investing, todd long on 09 27th, 2009If you ever have drain stoppage don’t bother getting Drano or any of those other over the counter light weights. Get Thrift! This stuff really works. I have only been able to find it at a plumbing supply store. It isn’t at your weekend hardware store, Lowe’s, or Home Depot.
This stuff creates some sort of chemical reaction when followed by hot water that will unclog any drain. Well, it has unclogged many, many drains for me. I will caution you. Once you pour about a 1/2 a cup of this stuff in the drain and start to follow it with hot water, STEP BACK! If you don’t your eyes will start to burn and you won’t be able to breath. Really. Also don’t use it on a toilet! The chemical reaction could make the toilet explode. Really. Other than that, this stuff really works. Really. 
read comments (0)Foreclosure Prevention and Free money to buy a home!
Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, todd long, Training on 09 25th, 2009I attended a great presentation a few weeks ago by Louise from Prosperity Unlimited. Here is her presentation. She runs a non profit group that helps people in the surrounding counties around Charlotte such as Cabarrus and Iredell counties. If you or someone you know may be facing foreclosure I encourage you to reach out to her group. She also gave us some great sources of free money to help buy real estate!
Contact them at (704) 933-7405
Extend and Expand the Homebuyer Tax Credit
Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, Video on 09 25th, 2009I have created this video for you. Check it out.
You may have noticed I didn’t say extend the First Time Homebuyer tax credit. I really feel this needs to be expanded to anyone who wants to buy a primary residence. We have seen good, steady gains in selling the inventory in the first time home buyer sector through the $8000 credit this year. It hasn’t been a run on funds like the cash for clunkers which is probably good. The benefit has been there but people still have to have good credit and want to make a move to take advantage.
I have heard that extending this credit for 1 year and expanding it to all homebuyers who want to buy a primary residence would cost us about 1% of the 700 billion that has been set aside to help get out of this recession. This would be an appropriate move to solidify the housing market in a time of tough economics. I’ve been telling my agent for months if not a year now that it all goes back to jobs but when a house is sold that creates jobs as well. Bank personnel, plumbers, contractors, electricians, home inspectors, Realtors, movers, and on and on have a job because a house is sold.
If you are a Realtor please help NAR push for an extension of the tax credit by going to http://bit.ly/extendcredit. You will login with your NAR number and send a note to your local government representative.
Great Closing Gift Idea
Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, Lake Norman Area Events, Fun Stuff on 09 19th, 2009
I have order several Attractions Guides for years. When I was an active Real Estate agent I gave them out as closing gifts. Now that I am a non competing BIC I now give them out to friends, family and new agents that I hire. In placing my order for the 2010 edition I found I have a few extra. So, the first two people that respond with a comment below get one, for free of course! Thanks for reading my blog.
You will find coupons for higher end dining to fast food. Most of these are buy one get one free coupons. This is a great way to try new restaurants you may not otherwise patron. You will also find discounts for local and chain establishments such as Home Depot (coupons can be used at Lowes), Dicks, Shoe Carnival, and Lazy 5 Ranch just to name a few. There are lots of coupons to use around the Lake Norman Area and Charlotte Metro.
If you would like to order a few of the new 2009 guides yourself call Torrie Zink at (704) 682-2164 or email her at lkncouponbook @ aol.com. You can get them from her for $15 a piece and she will customize the front as you see in the example here for you. Tell her Todd Long at Century 21 Hecht Realty had you call.
New NC law to help slow the foreclosure process for those trying to work thing out with the bank. Who will promote it?
Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News on 09 15th, 2009Governor Perdue signed this law into action last week. Basically a home owner has to be given sufficient time to try to work out payments with a lender before the foreclosure process can start. Here’s the story.
There is also a trial loan modification program in the Obama plan that is available to people to stop the foreclosure process but as of yet only 12% of eligible barrower have started the process. That should be much higher and I fear the problem is promotion. The government does a decent job of setting up and funding programs but they are bad at promoting them. For example: Cash for Clunkers; huge success! Do you think it was the governments promotion of this made it a huge success. NO It was the advertising experts i.e. car salesmen. Who will promote loan modification? I doubt it will be the lenders. They really don’t seem to want to help people through that process. Probably because it doesn’t fit into their current model of how they do business. It seems to me a loan modification would be better than an REO for banks but who am I.
Realtors: Iredell County Special Presentation-Foreclosure Prevention Workshop
Posted by Todd Long in Training on 09 14th, 2009Registration and breakfast: 9:30 a.m.
Program: 10 a.m.-noon
Where: Statesville Civic Center
300 S. Center St.
Statesville, NC 28677
Admission: FREE for members; $15 for nonmembers
This workshop, which is part of the Workforce Housing Certificate Program, educates participants about foreclosure issues in the area and the role of Realtors® in foreclosure prevention. Speakers will provide information on how to prevent foreclosures among clients and the resources for foreclosure-prevention services in the region.
Registration and breakfast begin at 9:30 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m.
If you are currently enrolled in the Workforce Housing Certificate Program, this workshop is one of the graduation requirements.
If you have questions or wish to enroll in the program, please contact Jessica Misenheimer at jessica.misenheimer@carolinahome.com or 704-940-3138.
NOTE: You do not have to be enrolled in the Workforce Housing Certificate Program to register for this workshop. This event is open to all members of CRRA/CMLS.
Do You Have Self Employed Sellers Facing Foreclosure?
Posted by Todd Long in Real Estate News, Coldwell Banker United Realtors on 09 13th, 2009Margaret Cremen, an agent in my office, recently had a self employed seller who was facing foreclosure. She came across the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency which was able to help this seller avoid foreclosure. Details can be found at http://www.ncforeclosurehelp.org or by calling 888-384-3811.
Agents Beware, Cary Woman abducted by sex offender
Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Coldwell Banker United Realtors on 09 11th, 2009Agents beware of seemingly harmless individuals. This Cary agent probably thought everything was normal. Often if you meet someone and the hairs stand up on the back of your neck or you get a chill those natural insticts could be correct. Our office has safety policies in place to protect our agents in the field. Here are some suggestions for you. Make it a rule to never meet a client for the first time at a home for sale, especially a vacant home. Same goes for a vacant listing appointment. Meet them at the office to start the first appointment. If you feel uncomfortable with the appointment for any reason, take someone with you. They can stay in the car or at the front door. Never park in the driveway where you can be blocked in. Let your client(s) lead through the house, you follow. Let them explore the basement themselves. These are just a few basic rules but the big one is always error on the side of caution.
Closing Gift Idea-Lake Norman Reflections Book
Posted by Todd Long in todd long, Fun Stuff on 09 9th, 2009
