This is a trend that has continued all year on Homes.com with traffic to the site through the year is up by an average of 40%.

An influencing factor may be the tax credit extension, which includes first time home buyers and “move up” buyers. It seems that more home buyers are looking for homes at a time when the industry is usually quiet, not to mention that more and more people will be looking to buy AND sell during this holiday season. You can more about this tax credit by reading our previous post.

Homes.com continues to GROW and now you can grow with us! Advertise in a prime location with consistent growth! To learn more about advertising on Homes.com CLICK HERE.

Congress has approved the extension and expansion of the home buyer tax credit into 2010. It is on its way to President Obama and is expected to be signed as early as tomorrow. Buyers who have a sales contract in place by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30th will be able to receive the $8,000 credit. Active military who are deployed overseas in 2008 or 2009 can claim the tax credit until April 30, 2011. The tax credit has been extended to allow home buyers who already own a home to receive a $6,500 credit when buying a new primary residence. See our previous blog post for more information.

According to the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) they estimate “that the extended and expanded home buyer tax credit will create 211,000 jobs and generate 180,000 additional home sales in the coming year. It is also expected to generate $9.6 billion in wage income and $6.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes.”

An extension of the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit seems to be gaining momentum through the Senate. The Obama administration called upon Congress to give home buyers the ability to claim the tax credit until April 30, 2010.

Qualified first time home buyers will be able to claim $8,000 for house purchases under $800,000. To be able to qualify couples must make under $225,000 and single buyers under $125,000, which is up from the previous $150,000 for couples and $75,000 for individuals. The bill was expanded to include current homeowners as long as the house they are vacating has been their primary residence for a minimum of 5 consecutive years of the past 8. They can claim $6,500 when purchasing a “move up” home.

Under the current provisions the home must be closed by November 30th, 2009. The new terms state that the sales contract must be signed by April 30, 2009 and the closing must take place by June 30th, 2010.

Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com predicts that this credit would generate more home sales that the current one. He says, “It’s broader, and the industry is geared up to take advantage of it now.

Critics say that the tax credit is not an efficient use of federal resources because it has cost almost $10 billion as of now and the extension could cost as much if not more. Also that that it is overly generous to allow people who make over $200,000 per year to claim the credit and has been linked to widespread abuse.

Currently over 1.2 million borrowers have claimes $8.5 billion of the $13.6 billion that was set aside.

The agreement has to make it out of the congressional chamber but with the show of support from the White House it seems that the extension will pass….Stay tuned we should know by the end of the day.

Click here for an update…

Building Business, Building Community!

Register for this FREE Webinar Today!

Join us for a special edition of the Secrets of Top Selling Agents™ Webinars:
“Building Business, Building Community featuring three Good Neighbor Award Winners!” hosted by Charles Warnock on Thursday, November at 1 pmET/10am PT.

Large consumer brands are not the only ones proficient in “cause marketing”—combining for-profit promotion with a passion for charitable causes and community. Join us for a special edition of the Secrets of Top Selling Agents Webinar, where we will speak with a trio of high-performance Realtors® who also find time to give back to the communities they serve. Hear their inspiring stories and learn their secrets for building a successful real estate career, while giving back to your community! Don’t miss this special edition of Secrets of Top Selling Agents. Homes.com and eNeighborhoods are proud sponsors of REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards.

About our 2008 Good Neighbor Award Winners

• Caroline McCartney
  Executive Vice President, Realtor®
  GSH Real Estate
  Caroline McCartney has worked to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for over 16 years. St. Jude is a research and treatment facility for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and helps to save children from all over the world regardless of their ability to pay. McCartney has been a volunteer since 1990 and was St. Jude Dream Home Chairperson of the Year in 2007.
• Lei Barry
  NUMBER1EXPERT®
  Keller Williams Real Estate
  Lei Berry from Keller Williams in Blue Bell, PA founded Inter-Faith Housing Alliance over 20 years ago which helps to prevent homelessness of low income families. Berry also single-handedly raised $1.4 million to found Hope Gardens, a transitional apartment complex which helps homeless families get on their feet.
• Sheila Stevens
  Prudential Georgia Realty
  Sheila Stevens from Prudential Georgia Realty in Suwanee, GA is founder and president of The Sport of Giving Inc., which funds breast cancer treatment and prevention. The organization has contributed over $1 million through annual tennis and golf tournaments, running events and other fundraisers, as well as donating $215,000 towards a mammography screening center.

Read more about our featured Good Neighbor Award winners at SecretsWebinars.com.

What are the Secrets of Top Selling Agents™ Webinars?
The Secrets of Top Selling Agents Webinars are FREE, online seminars where Top Selling Agents™ and industry professionals discuss their methods for success in today’s competitive real estate market. Speakers are not required to promote or any other service as part of this seminar. They speak candidly about how they succeed in real estate. is only a sponsor of the presentation.

Why pay for training? You can’t afford to miss the keys to real estate success presented FREE—the Secrets of Top Selling Agents. Join us live online and via telephone to learn the secrets to build your business in the next Secrets of Top Selling Agents Webinar. Register today!

Homes.com and eNeighborhoods publish real estate marketing lead generation ebook

Homes.com and eNeighborhoods, both divisions of Dominion Enterprises have teamed up to offer real estate professionals tips on how to effectively manage leads in a free ebook, Talkin’ About Lead Generation.

The real estate market has changed, but not the need for effective lead generation strategies. The ebook presents 10 steps to help real estate professionals learn to become “real estate rock stars,” including how to prospect online, measure and improve ROI on lead generation channels, nurture leads, and use social media channels.

Homes.com and eNeighborhoods also offer a free lead tracker to help agents identify their most profitable lead generation channels, so they can do more of what works, and less of what doesn’t.

“In a changed real estate market, lead generation skills can mean the difference between success and failure,” said ebook author Charles Warnock, director of business development for Homes.com and eNeighborhoods. “Without a consistent lead generation program, real estate pros may never get to the client service activities they consider to be their core strengths: presentations, proposals, offers, negotiations and closings.”

The ebook provides ideas and insights from some of the nation’s top real estate professionals about their own lead generation programs, and recommendations to improve real estate brokerage profitability. In addition to lead generation, lead conversion, and optimization strategies are discussed.

About Homes.com

Homes.com will be sponsoring it’s first FREE Webinar with the Secrets of Top Selling Agents (www.secretsoftopsellingagents.com). Join us for “Real Estate Presentations that Make Millions” hosted by Jim Remley on Thursday, October 29th at 1 p.m. EST.

When you walk into a listing appointment, are you as confident as you can be? Do you have any doubts that you’ll walk out of the appointment with the listing? Are you using the right marketing tools to satisfy the seller?

In this Webinar, you will learn how Jim tackles listing presentations with ease, including:

• The 5 steps to a successful presentation
• How to build trust and rapport quickly and easily
• The Three P’s - What sellers really want to talk about

Jim Remley is the President of Pro Performer Seminars (www.ProPerformer.com), as well as a leader in selling skills development, having earned the Accredited Luxury Home Specialist Designation (ALHS). He is also the author of three bestselling books: Make Millions Selling Real Estate, Real Estate Presentations that Make Millions, and Sell Your Home in Any Market.

Don’t miss your chance to learn the secrets to better listing presentations. You can even submit your questions to Jim in advance to be discussed during the Webinar. Register today!

The housing market is slowly stabilizing, and you’ve decided to list your home. But what, if any, improvements should you tackle before selling? Should you just leave it all to the new homeowner?

There are two ways to look at pre-sale home improvements. You can either improve the curb appeal or the home’s outward appearance with quick and often low-cost improvements, or you can make some higher-dollar changes with the goal of adding value to the home and increasing your asking price. The reality is that all houses benefit from a little “spiffing up” before being shown to buyers, and smart home sellers will take the time and effort to do so.

View your home with a critical eye

Great curb appeal with immaculate landscaping, fresh paint, tidy closets and cabinets, spotless windows and a clutter-free feeling are essential to make a home really stand out. Impressing potential buyers is often a one-shot deal, so take the time to make some minor improvements that can lead to a faster sale and a higher offer.

Assume the role of a home buyer. Give your home a critical look for dirt, flaws and cramped spaces. Then imagine the work ahead of you if you were to make this your new home. Think of your house as a commodity to be sold for top dollar, and you’ll soon be eager to make needed improvements.

Drive around and notice well-cared-for homes. Yards are groomed, paint is fresh and entrances are neat and welcoming. Then take an honest look at your home, and roll your sleeves up to tackle the tasks below:

• Pressure clean rust, mold and mildew off exterior walls, sidewalks, decks, the roof and the driveway.
• Clean smudged windows and unclog gutters.
• Sweep sidewalks and driveways – and keep them clean.
• Edge sidewalks and remove weeds along the house and in the garden.
• Mow the lawn regularly.
• Trim back trees and shrubs that block the street view of your house for a more inviting appearance.
• Rake and remove leaves regularly.
• Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the roof.
• If you lack outdoor lighting, add a front porch light fixture and keep it turned on. Buyers often cruise by after dark to check out homes.
• Keep lights that are visible through front windows on for a warm appearance.
• If it’s in your budget, fresh exterior paint makes a house look like new.
• An attractive front door, perhaps with leaded glass inserts, creates a great first impression. But if you can’t afford a new door, replace worn handles and locks and apply a fresh coat of paint or stain.
• Clean carpets to remove odors and stains

Indoor re-dos

1. Every room, even the garage, should be spotless. Hiring a cleaning service is worth the minor investment if you are unable to give your home the once-over yourself. Clean major appliances, inside closets and do not forget to polish bathrooms.

2. Eliminate offensive odors – cigarette smoke and pet odor are permanent turnoffs and kill a sale. Send smokers outdoors, keep pets groomed and their bedding clean and out of the way and vacuum daily.

3. Make inexpensive repairs that greatly improve aesthetic appeal, such as repairing cracked grout, screwing in a loose shelf and replacing a cracked bath tile.

4. Remove clutter. Potential homebuyers can’t envision themselves and their belongings in your home if they can’t see past all your stuff. A rule of thumb is to eliminate at least one-third of your belongings from each room. If needed, invest in a storage space for your extraneous belongings while showing your home. Other clutter cutters: Store small kitchen appliances and other items off countertops and tables; Remove photographs and knick knacks from tables; and organize closets, pantry and cabinets.

Tips for vacant homes

Your home should be welcoming to buyers even if it is vacant. Keep your empty home inviting with the following tips:

• Vacant homes accumulate stale or mildew-laden air. Leave the heat or air conditioning running (depending on the season) to cut down odors. Set up a few softly fragranced air fresheners.
• Keep the lawn and landscaping groomed, even if you have to hire a service.
• Put a few lights on a timer switch to come on throughout the day.

  Improvements that are worth your time

  While you don’t want to take on a major renovation project that could cost thousands right before you sell creating chaos and delaying your listing date, you should examine the list of improvements you might have done if you weren’t selling. Weigh whether it is worth your while – and the potential boost to your selling price – to go ahead with the improvements. Here are some tips to add value to your home:

• Complete half-finished projects. No one will pay full price for a home that has half-painted rooms or a partially re-tiled bathroom. Now that you’re selling, it’s time to complete those projects you thought you could knock out yourself but never seem to have time to complete.
• Focus on the kitchen. Kitchens, centrally located in many homes, are critical to most buyers. An outdated kitchen can lower the value of your home, and something as simple as repainting cabinets and changing hardware can provide a modern update that can increase your home’s value. Add new cabinets and replace counter tops and you could add thousands to your asking price.
• Paint the interior. Whether you have just a few too many smudges and dings, or your color scheme is too “1980s,” it can be well worth the dollar to transform interior walls with a few coats of neutral color. Get bids for the best deal and you’ll be surprised by how much better your home looks.
• Update or repair light fixtures. You can be sure that during a walk-through all lights will be switched on and questions will arise if a switch yields nothing but darkness.
• Repair appliances. Repair any appliances listed with the home or you can expect to not get your full list price.

Don’t bother

• You might think adding a pool would increase your return on value but the truth is, most buyers aren’t willing to give you the full price you paid for installation. Other major projects, such as adding a new story to your home, adding a master suite or installing carpeting may not give you the return at the sale that you were hoping for. Skip the project and let the buyer perform the projects he or she wants to do. If you need a new roof, you might consider splitting the cost with the buyer. Many buyers are willing to meet you half way on major repair projects, since they will be benefiting from the repairs for years to come.
• Whether you choose to make lower-cost improvements or higher-dollar renovations that can raise your home’s asking price, it’s a proven fact that real estate listings in great shape typically sell for more than those that are in only passable condition. Time and again, sellers who prep their homes for sale in advance reap the benefits with a faster sale and a higher sale price.

Real estate professionals have a unique opportunity to step up and successfully guide buyers. You will be ahead of the game if you help clients separate the facts from the hype and clarify how national real estate conditions affect local markets. Buying a home can be stressful under the best of conditions. When you add in general anxiety and confusion about the housing market, you’re bound to have buyers waiting on the sidelines for a better day.

Go local. The Internet puts today’s consumers a click away from a world of real estate information. Use this to your advantage by positioning your name & your brand accordingly. Display advertising that’s purchased on the local level- whether by city, zip code or neighborhood, directly targets key home buyers and sellers who need you. Place your listings in a network, such as Homes.com’s Listing Network, where buyers and sellers have the opportunity to search for your listing locally on many different sites. This also exponentially increases the amount of exposure your listing receives every month which improving the chances that a qualified home buyer will contact you in a shorter amount of time. You can’t know all the news that’s available to your clients, but you can maintain the information advantage by becoming the expert on local markets. Focus on information your clients don’t have. Local market information gathered from your experience, your MLS, and your network of local contacts is unique and provides value to your clients that other sources can’t match.

Do the math. You don’t need to be an expert in statistics, but you should know what the key numbers mean and how to explain them clearly. Numbers like days on market, units closed, list-to-sales price and pending sales can provide great insight on where your local market is headed. It’s also impressive to clients when real estate pros know how local trends stack up against national numbers.

Show and tell. Using your MLS and marketing tools, you can provide personalized reports that show current neighborhood information and local demographic information such as schools, crime, employment and education. Provide branded leave-behind reports and materials homebuyers can reference later. When you become the local source who can explain market conditions with current statistics and visual summaries, you gain an advantage over less-prepared agents. Bring the bad news. Yes, prices are falling through the floor in many areas, particularly where activities like sub-prime lending, overbuilding and investor speculation occurred. The media tends to focus on areas where these abuses occur, bringing the bad news into sharp focus. You can help clients understand that falling prices in these areas are part of a natural - and necessary - market correction. As prices continue to fall, the real estate market will begin to recover as part of its normal cyclical process. Be sure to keep your prospects and clients engaged throughout the recovery process. Changes in local sales, home prices and inventory are good indicators of your local market’s health. The national real estate market will inevitably recover, and those buyers who are on the fence now may be ready to purchase in the near future as some sunlight begins to emerge from the market’s dark clouds.

eNeighborhoods, a Homes.com sister company, has announced the launch of Mercado - the Marketplace for California real estate.

Mercado, a new marketing system exclusive to California real estate agents, is a search platform that joins multiple California MLS databases and provides real estate professionals with a single gateway to listing data across the state.

The nation’s premier compiler of real estate related home and neighborhood information, eNeighborhoods provides the real estate industry with a comprehensive set of marketing and analytical tools. With Mercado, eNeighborhoods adds Web-based marketing tools to the existing search platform which includes CMA, BuyerTour, and Design Center, a direct marketing application. Mercado Neighborhood Reports and IDX tools also are available.

The initial launch of Mercado is available to a combined 50,000 MLS participants and subscribers in Northern and Southern California.

To find out more about web-based marketing tools provided by eNeighborhoods, Visit www.eNeighborhoods.com today.