Where Have All the REALTORS® Gone?by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR®I stopped by my local Realtor Association off ice this morning, paid my monthly MLS dues and had to cut loose with over $300 for my 2007 National and California Association dues.Personally, I enjoyed the experience.  It made me feel good to be a REALTOR.While I was there, another agent came in - except she was turning in her credentials and lock box key.  We didn't talk, but she had despair written all over her face.  I actually felt sorry for her.I did not know her - in fact I did not know what office she comes from.  As a matter of fact, I don't think I have ever seen her at a single Board event, including Caravan.  I wonder what she was thinking, when she got ‘in' the business.  Perhaps she benefited from the windfall of ... 01/04/2007

Triple Treat or Triple Threat... or How I Guarantee You'll Get Your Home Sold This Time!by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR® Your home has been on the market.  You had high expectations when you decided to sell.  You probably put in a lot of effort getting the place ready, long before you ever seriously sat down and interviewed Realtors (you did interview several, didn't you?)Then you picked the player that you had the most confidence in.  I'm almost willing to bet she talked up such a good game, convincing you they could bring you ‘top dollar' for your home and not to worry about the rumors of a housing bubble - after all, it is just a figment of someone's imagination.  Before long the excitement started to wane as the days turned to weeks and the weeks months before your ‘listing' finally ex... 01/04/2007

What Can a Google Alert Do For You? by John Occhi, Hemet Realtor® Mission Grove Realty I want to assume that everyone knows what a "Google Alert" is, but in my heart of hearts I know I would be wrong.                                                                       Ok, for the sake of assumption, I KNOW everyone who is reading this, knows what "Google" is - the largest and most influential search engine on the internet today.So, before I get into my story, let me give those who need it, a real quick primer on Google - because the internet giant is so much more than a search engine.  I'm not going to spend this space talking about Google email - Gmail or their online photo storage - Picasa or any of their doze s of other really great tools that we should all be using to advance our ... 01/03/2007

What Style is that Home?John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR®I was reading REALTOR Magazine online and found an interesting article about replacement windows, which I enjoyed since I was very successful at selling these a few years before I got my real estate license.Well as the internet often does, one page led to another and then another.  Before I knew it, I was on a NAR sponsored page that talks about architecture styles of homes.I spent some time here and was fascinated with the different styles.  What really fascinated me though is the lack of a coined phrase for the style of home that has sprung up in Southern California - and beyond, I'm sure, in the last few years.Of the 33 styles described and illustrated, there is nothing that truly describes what we now offer the public.  Yes, of cours... 01/02/2007

Variable Rate Commission - Is it a Good Thing?by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOROften times a listing prospective client will ask the agent in front of them, "If you sell the home yourself, will you take less of a commission?"On the surface, that is a very legitimate question and one that you would think that the agent would jump on, to get the listing.  But, let me tell you, that this is a question you should never ask, nor do you want your agent put in that position.Why, you ask?  Because, you (the home seller) are doing yourself a disservice.Let me explain.  Let's assume you agreed to list your home at 6% commission with half going to your agent and half to the buyers agents.  (If we could use words like ‘standard' commission, it would describe this situation.  But because of allegations o... 01/02/2007

Consumer confidence...Good News or ...by John Occhi, Hemet REALTORThe Conference Board, a private research group, announced that consumer confidence for the month of December has taken an unexpected rise, due in part to an improved job market and continued optimism about the countries economy.The revised numbers for November, 2006 settled in at 105.3 and then rose in December to 109.  This is in contrast to what economists had expected - a decline to about 101.9 from the previously reported November figure of 102.9.Of course "The Conference Board" doesn't want us to draw any conclusions from either the adjusted November or December figures.  "There is little to suggest that the pace of economic activity in the final quarter of 2006 is anything but moderately better than its uninspiring ... 01/01/2007

Figures Don't Lie...Liars Figureby John Occhi, Hemet REALTORI have been working with the information that I have downloaded from the Hemet MLS, sponsored by the Hemet-San Jacinto Board of Realtors.  The data has represented all of the residential properties listed and sold in each of the 3 Hemet zip codes - 92453, 92544 & 92545.The first few articles I wrote seemed to be a little off to me, so I have tweaked the data so that the numbers were more realistic to my thinking.  Some of what I was looking at just was not making sense to me.So, I spent some time excluding a number of listings - those that seemed to be the abnormalities. This is not an unusual practice.  Often times when considering a group of numbers, it is not uncommon to exclude the highest and lowest number, in order to get... 01/01/2007

How to Get What You Deserve... by GettingTop Dollar of Your House in any Market!by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR  This is another one of the FREE reports that I provide to my clients.  Often, this will be included in my pre-listing package, before I ever meet a potential client.   *****************************************************Often times a seller wants to squeeze every dollar that their home is worth, and that's a good thing as long as they don't want to go into the realm of make-believe values.  This ability to reap the additional hidden profits are yours...if you make the right improvements.The difference between homes are usually measured by buyers - not is square feet or bedroom count; but rather by enhanced feelings of more space, more light, more rooms and closet space, greater... 01/01/2007

PRICE YOUR HOME TO SELL Part 5 of 5BY JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTOR®Originally posted to this BLOGThis is the final installment of a 5 part article, educating the consumer on the process of how homes should be priced to sell, in an market.  Looking back at the First Part, we stimulated the thought process by asking some hard questions - helping determine your own level of motivation. Then in the Second Part we examined the roll a REALTOR® plays in the process and why it is so important for you to choose one you can work with - one who will allow you to make the important decisions with the right counsel.    In Part Three we took a look at what drives the market and the principles that make the housing market fluctuate in value.  Finally in the Fourth Installment we took a look to see what h... 01/01/2007

HEMET MARKET REPORT:  Expireds, Solds and the Asking Priceby John Occhi, Hemet REALTORWell, I have been looking at the numbers for the past couple of years, trying to make heads and tails out of them.  Now please don't get me wrong, I am NOT a statistician any where close.  I am just a Realtor who is trying real hard to get control of my market and understand all of the nuances.As I learn, I write and share.  Hopefully, I am sharing with my clients and future clients and not educating my competition.  This is hours and hours of work that can get to be very tedious, but as the numbers fall into place, it is a beautiful thing that they teach me.I wanted to start off with a short article and a quick look at some of the obvious that jump off the page at me.  Now by reading my previous posts... 12/31/2006

Setting The Bar - Another Look Back at 2005By John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR Yesterday I described in detail how I pulled together the numbers I am analyzing - which is in essence a look at all of the listings that Expired from the Hemet MLS in the year 2005.  The reason for 2005 is all of the data will not be in for 2006 until about the end of next week, at which time I plan on comparing the numbers from 2005 to 2006. The data that I am looking at is for Hemet only, although I do plan on compiling similar facts about San Jacinto, the other community in the area where I conduct my business and live.  I have broken the data down to each of the three zip codes in Hemet:  92443, 92544 & 92454.  Again, there is more data and a clearer breakdown on the differences between the three zip codes in ... 12/31/2006

How to Sell Your Hemet Home at the Highest Possible Price By JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTOR This is one of the "Free" Reports that I have written that I provide to my seller clients.  Often this  report will end up in a Pre-Listing Package, before I meet with a potential seller. ***************************************** When it comes to selling your home you have to be careful not to make any mistakes.  A simple mistake in the process can cost you thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. In lost profit. Believe it or not, but many homeowners make the same mistakes, over and over again.  Avoiding the mistakes is relatively easy - it just takes a little time and effort on your part. Remember, that this special report is not intended to replace so... 12/31/2006

PRICE YOUR HOME TO SELL Part 4 of 5BY JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTOR®Originally posted to this BLOGLast time we looked at trends in the market and several principals that  govern the behavior of the Hemet Real Estate Market.  In this installment, we will examine what happens to a home that enters the market over priced and what affect it will have on the perception in the market.********************************************************What Happens When a Hemet Home is Overpriced?It is critical to price a home properly when it is first listed on the market. If a seller takes the attitude that they can put it on the market for a higher price and then reduce the price if it doesn't sell right away is much more detrimental than any other pricing strategy.More often than not, by the time an overpr... 12/31/2006

What Has Happened in Hemet, During the Past Two Years?A  Quick Look back to 2005 - A Place to Set the Barby John Occhi, Hemet REALTORAs the year winds down and the final figures are on their way to "the books", it's time to take a close look at what has happened.In order to fully look back at 2006 and the local Hemet Real Estate Market, I thought it was as important to look at 2005 as well.  After all, if I tell you we had 50 expired listings last month, what does that mean to you without having a place to compare.So, as I wait for the last hours of December to tick away and for the last sales to be recorded and the time run out on the last expireds of the year, I have spent some time downloading and formatting the 2005 numbers straight from the Hemet-San Jacinto board of Realtors offic... 12/30/2006

Should You Own Your Home? The American Dream Of  Homeownership Isn't Right For Everybody... Or Is It?by John Occhi, Hemet REALTORWhen you are ready to buy your first home you will often find yourself full of anxiety , trying to determine if you are making the right decision.  You go through all of the   pluses and minuses of home-ownership, giving each one it's due careful consideration...Buying a home can be one of life's most exciting and yet most challenging and stressful experiences you will ever go through.With all of the different types of loan programs available today, it is easier than ever to get into a house. Make sure you check into first time buyers programs and different incentives that may be offered through Riverside County and the City of Hemet - or wherever you choose t... 12/30/2006

How to Sell Your Home in Today's Buyer Market, part 2 of 2by John Occhi, Hemet RealtorThird Party Inspections: The Key to Setting Yourself Apart from the PackEvery bona-fide real estate transaction in California is required to have disclosures completed and inspections of the property integrated into the terms and conditions of the purchase agreement. Some of these are state laws while many are lender requirements. It really doesn't matter who says to do it, if it needs to be done, it needs to be done.A disclosure is simply letting the buyer know what you know about the property. There are more law suits filed for non-disclosure issues. More often than not, they are innocent oversights, forgetting about the little inconveniences and nuances of our Hemet home. Typically, we all learn to ... 12/30/2006

PRICE YOUR HOME TO SELL Part 3 of 5BY JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTOR®Originally posted to this BLOG This is the third installment of the report I prepare for my sellers, but confidentially share with my buyers.  I advocate that only the seller can set the price, my job is to provide them with the education to make the right choice.  In the first installments, we had the seller ask some hard questions about their home and their situation, trying to determine motivation.  Then in the second installment, we covered the basics  of market data and what should be in a CMA.This section today is very important.  It looks into the state of the market and what conditions are affecting the sale of homes.  I hope you find this useful...********************************************************Trends in Va... 12/30/2006

How to Sell Your Home in Today's Buyer Market, part 1 of 2by John Occhi, Hemet RealtorI first published this article in November 2006 on my original blog.  It is rather lengthy , so I have decided to re-post it here as a 2 part article.It should be pretty obvious to anyone who has any interest in the real estate market. You should know by now that the ‘sellers' market we had in Hemet during the first half of this decade has all but evaporated and transformed itself into a bona fide ‘buyers' market. What this means is that Hemet, like the rest of Southern California and most of the rest of the country has more homes for sale in the MLS than there are qualified buyers in the market looking for a home.There are a couple of ways to determine that the market has shifted, if you have access t... 12/29/2006

CREDIT PREPARATION 101JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTORWhen we want to buy a house, there are several things that we must do in order to prepare ourselves..  we all know that buying a house is never as simple as driving to the mall and buying a new pair of shoes - although I am not certain which one you might look at more options than the other...but that's another story.No, to buy a house most of us know that we will need some money in the bank - both for the purchase and for reserves.  Then we should all know that we need a fairly stable job and lastly we need to have a good credit score - or at least as good as possible.I'm not going to spend time here explaining what a credit score is, if you don't know, the do a Google Search (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union are the 3 national Bureaus) ... 12/28/2006

PRICE YOUR HOME TO SELLBY JOHN OCCHI, HEMET REALTOR®Originally posted to this BLOGThanks for coming back.  In the first part of this report, we looked at the motivation of the home seller.  We asked ourselves some tough questions to help determine what our real motivation is and what condition our home is in, to sell.Today, we are going to take a look at how we determine who the best REALTOR is for "US" the individual seller.  Just like you, each realtor is an individual also, and there is a match that needs to be made.**********************************Part 2 of 5Who Is the Best Hemet Realtor?As much as I wish I could tell you I am, there really is no clear cut answer. The real question is who the best real estate agent for you is. Today's market place has become very diverse. Not long ... 12/28/2006