Paul Caloca's Blog

Project management principles can be applied to the home sale process to provide a structured process for visualizing the complexities of the task to be undertaken. One of the fundamental tools of project management is the Work Breakdown Structure or WBS. The WBS is a visual representation of th...

SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats The SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning and decision making tool you can use to evaluate your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in the project of selling your house yourself.  In this example, I will use the t...

Here are some web sites that can be of use for the FSBO ...   Comparative Market Analysis – data accuracy and reliability is questionable; low or no fee www.zillow.com, www.trullia.com Listing web sites – post your home listing for low or no fee www.craigslist.org, www.zillow.com, www.point2.com,...

Any real estate agent working for a broker/member of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) can provide you with commodity services. The Internet has played a major role in commoditizing these services and given the FSBO easy access and use. Commoditized services are mostly those services that are “...

In addition to buyers (some qualified, some not) and your neighbors stopping by to see your freshly marketed FSBO house, there some other types of visitors for which you should prepare.1. Real Estate AgentsReal estate agents will be calling you due the sobering facts that 85% of all home sales go...

Dear For Sale By Owner, I commend you on taking upon yourself the enormous task of selling the most valuable asset you own: your house. Selling or buying a home is always a challenging experience. The process requires a team of people and numerous regulatory compliance issues imposed by the Stat...

There are some very interesting loan subsidy programs for first time home buyers offered by the California Housing Finance Agency or CalHFA.  Many of the programs have interest rates that are about 1% below current market rates for 30 year fixed loans. There is also a Downpayment Assistance Progr...

"Real Estate Professionals: It's Time To Go Green". The event is sponsored by the Colorado Association of Realtors and EcoBroker International.  The symposium will discuss what does green mean today in real estate, what's getting consumers and investors excited, the latest technology in green bui...

The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy - DSIRE - is  an excellent resource to finding rebates and tax credits that encourage energy efficiency in various home subsystems.Some of the areas covered are Green building initiatives in various counties in your stateLocal grant programsIn...

I just completed an ethics traning session at the local Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR) today and some interesting statistics were tossed aboutThere are about 550,000 real estate licenees in Californiaof those, only about 190,000 have joined their local association of RealtorsOnly...