Have You Dreamed of Financial Freedom?

Have You Dreamed of Financial Freedom?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up in the morning with enough money coming in so that you could do what you want that day? Many of our clients have achieved financial freedom (we call it Wake-Up Money) even with modest incomes through their investment in local real estate; specifically homes and condos. Current real estate conditions have created an environment for real estate investor that is unique in the history of Northwest Ohio. The FREE Seminar on January 16, 2014 starts at 7:00PM in our RE/MAX Masters Office Building in the Meeting and Conference Room at 810 West South Boundary.

At this seminar, you will learn:
•    The benefits of Perrysburg (and Northwest Ohio) residential real estate investment.
•    How to build wealth quickly through real estate investment.
•    How to set up your investment goals.
•    The step-by-step process for purchasing investment property in Perrysburg.
•    You will leave armed with information, forms, knowledge, and a detailed plan to go and get on the way to having Wake-Up Money.
•    Financial Freedom is possible and it is available.
•    The correlation of property, interest rates, tax laws, investment opportunities, market forces, population changes, and financial changes has made the acquisition of Wake-Up Money in Perrysburg available for those with the foresight to plan for it.

Call my front office to reserve your seat! Have a great day and see you there!

Get your invite by clicking this link!

10 Tips to Help You Begin Flipping Houses!

10 Tips to Help You Begin Flipping Houses!

Today I am coming to you from 1713 Trailview Drive in Maumee, Ohio. In this beautiful neighborhood, this brick ranch was left abandoned and completely destroyed on the inside with holes in the wall and ruined carpet. After the new owner Derek Martin replaced the windows, rebuilt the furnace, added new paint to the kitchen and bathrooms, a privacy fence and replacing the carpet and flooring, the house is very sharp. Derek buys homes to sell after he “rehabs” them and I am currently selling it. If you’re looking to flip homes, I have included ten tips to help get you started in the right direction.

1. Do not get emotional about house flipping. It is after all a business. If the numbers do not work, proceed to the next property. Some investors commit the mistake of being too attached to the flip that they sell at a high price and end up holding the flip longer thus reducing profit.

2. The front door.   How does it look?  First impressions count. Pay attention not just to the inside of the house but the outside as well. You cannot show off all the upgrades done inside the house if potential buyers are turned off by the outside appearance of the house and its surroundings.

3. Personal tastes are a no-no in a flipped property. Your flip needs to be attractive to buyers, not you. You should define who your target buyer is and what is his/her preferences. Color is a vital part of flipping houses. Stick to neutral colors especially when it comes to painting and laying the carpet.

4. Think about what the buyer will want/love/see.  Spruce up the kitchens and the bathrooms. They will noticeably increase the price of a house. But be sure that fixtures and appliances match the target price range. If the kitchen and bathrooms look clean, sleek and updated, the house will sell faster and for a higher profit.

5. In house flipping, time is money. After making a detailed list of renovations to be done, come up with a timeline. A timeline is an important way to let contractors know when the next group of workers needs to be in a specific part of the house. One rule of thumb is to work from top to bottom and tackle the big work projects first.

6. Ignore this if YOU are the contractor.  Otherwise hire a good contractor. You cannot be at the job site all the time. This is where the contractor comes in handy. He can keep a close watch on your time line and also the part of the budget that is his responsibility. He can keep track of problems and readily find solutions. The easiest way to find a good contractor is through referrals.

7. Be ready for paperwork. There are loads of paperwork that accompany house flipping. The most important paperwork you will have to attend to are permits. It takes time to obtain permits so you need to apply for them before work begins. Not having the necessary permits can cause work stoppage and this cost money. Contracts and receipts are doubly important. Be sure to keep them. You also need to obtain insurance coverage not only on the property but the workers as well.

8. Fast.  Move fast.  Then move faster!  Keep track of your progress. Throughout the entire house flipping process, you have to constantly monitor your progress. That way, you will know at any given time where you stand on the project. This will help you keep focused. Time is of the essence in house flipping.

9. Don't buy a $400,000 home with a pool.  As your FIRST flip.   Start small or simply, and then work your way up. Your first house flipping project should only entail cosmetic work. You may not get a huge return on your investment but you will surely learn valuable lessons and develop experience.

10. As with any business venture, expect the unexpected. You will certainly encounter something that you simply did not expect. It may be a problem that appears hours before the transfer of ownership. You will almost always run at least a little over budget or hold the flip a little longer than expected.
The house is very spacious and the asking price is $109,000. If you would like me to show you this home, give me a call at (419) 466-7653.

When Should You Purchase Your Next Home?

While wrapping up a Boomtown marketing conference, I was asked what was going on in the Toledo market. The market affects a seller when it comes time to list and determining how much the home is worth. If you’re a smart buyer, you will want to buy a house on December 30th. I’ve also included an excerpt from the conference that my colleague Bob Sokoler filmed.

As I spoke with realtors about home sales, I noticed a specific trend nationwide. “It’s been much slower,” said Lee Tessier of Baltimore, Maryland. “It’s nothing like the spring market… Stuff we figured we would sell right away is taking longer to sell,” Lee continued. “Inventory is very low, which is causing many issues from buyers finding properties,” stated Jo Ellen Nash of Naples, Florida.

I attribute the slowdown to fear, uncertainty and doubt. You’ve got the budget impasse, the debt ceiling coming up, Obamacare coming in, winter coming in and many economic writers and pundits saying we’re just inches away from another recession.
Thanks again!

How To Make Habits LAST!

How To Make Habits LAST

Normally, I would take this time to give you a real estate update video. However, I’m here with Jay Papasan of Keller, Inc., the author of one of my two favorite books and one of the best-selling real estate authors of all time. My colleague, Bob Sokoler, had a chance to interview Jay and I included an excerpt from it below.

A fellow speaker at the event, Jay Papasan, is a contributor and co-author of the book The One Thing. The book details the dangers of multitasking and also how to create habits that last. “We really dug into that research,” Jay stated, “Our big surprise was that it doesn’t take 21 days to form a habit, which is what all the books used to say, it takes 66.” Jay was able to obtain this research from an Australian study that made graduate students form a health habit over a year.

“What they found is that after an average of 66 days, not 21, the habit formed and it got as easy as it’s going to get. If you were waking up early to go to the gym, you got up before the alarm clock,” he continued. Jay recommends picking a New Year’s resolution, and sticking to it until it almost becomes second nature and then moving on to your next goal.

To buy your own copy, click here!

Town Tour of Perrysburg, Ohio

Town Tour of Perrysburg, Ohio

Hey, guys! Welcome back to my video blog!

Normally, I talk about interest rates, the housing market or tips on how to sell your home. Today, though, I have something a little different for you.

I recently went on vacation with my beautiful wife and it got me to thinking about all the incredible cities I’ve been too. I’ve got to see a lot of awesome places, but I am still in love with my hometown, Perrysburg.

Perrysburg is the perfect place to raise a family. The school system is fantastic and the housing stock is amazing. They layout of the city is great and it’s easy to get around. There are great shopping amenities; it really has it all. The neighbors are great and there is a real sense of community here.

So if you have been looking at moving to northwest Ohio, consider Perrysburg. Give me a call and we can find a home that’s right for you!

Thanks for watching! Throughout the next few months we will be sending tours of different homes in the northwest Ohio area.

How to Sell Your Home Faster

How to Sell Your Home Faster

Hey, guys! Welcome back to my video blog!

I get asked all the time ‘how can I sell my house faster?’ I have four major tips to help make your home one of the best competitors out there.

1.    Repair, renovate and remodel. Before you even list your home, get the necessary repairs. Today’s buyers are smart; they expect a certain quality for a certain price. Why turn off the best buyers when you can just get the repairs done first.
2.    'Declutter' and depersonalize. When buyers come in and look at your home they want to be able to imagine living in it. Take down the pictures and religious fixtures. I often bring in a stager, whom I pay for, to get the home looking great.
3.    Maintain a Neutral Color Palette. Color is very much a taste preference. While you might love your key lime pie colored room, the potential buyer may not. It’s just a coat of paint, but it can make a huge difference.
4.    Modern décor. If you have wallpaper, get rid of it! If you have light fixtures from the ‘70s, it’s time to stop being groovy. Present a modern décor.

These are four easy, but effective ways to get your home sold faster. About six months ago the market flipped and I completely revamped my marketing plan. My strategy is unlike any other realtor’s in the Toldeo area. I am ranked within the top 1,000 realtors nationwide. Give me call. I can sell your home fast and for top dollar!

Thanks for watching!

Is This the Perfect Home for You and Your Family?

Is This the Perfect Home for You and Your Family?
8408 Kacie Lane in Monclova - Brand New on the Market for only $389,900!

Are you looking for a bigger home for your growing family? 

Then this custom built, 3,360 sq. ft. home is perfect for you! 8408 Kacie Lane is located on a low traffic road, on a beautiful, secluded lot. 

High ceiling, spacious rooms and a stunning kitchen make this home perfect for entertaining and living comfortably.

All upgrades, wood floors and a first floor master suite are just a few of the things that make this home extraordinary. 

Find out out more about this dream home!

FAQ’s from Viewers and Clients

Hey everyone! I’m taking a break from a real busy week to answer some questions I’ve had from clients and viewers.

How long will it take to sell my home?

I hear this all the time. The answer really depends. The average time on the market is 60-90 days depending on which suburb. It’s obviously dependent on price; the higher the price, the longer it sits on the market. We are selling homes very quickly because inventory is historically low. The question is also dependent on what you do to make your home look great.

Where do you think the market will be in 12 months?

I honestly don’t know. I had the chance to work on Wall Street and I didn’t take it. I would say this, though, there seems to be a lack of great new houses. There is a shortage of builders building. I don’t know when that will hit, but there will be a lot shortage.

Do Dave Ramsey and Glenn Beck support you?

Yes, they do. I have met Dave Ramsey and I look forward to meeting to Glenn Beck in the near future.

Where do you rank?
RE/MAX is number one in North America as far as sales volume. RE/MAX is number one in market sharing in Toledo; this means putting a RE/MAX sign in your yard has a positive effect on selling your home quickly and for top dollar.

Last year I sold more houses than anybody else in Toledo and the price ranges varied from low to high end homes!

Do you love your Volt?
Yes, I absolutely love it! I love driving by gas stations!

Can I borrow your truck?
Yes! It’s only been in two accidents. But, yes you can borrow it!

What’s next in our market?
I think we are going to see prices go up. Interest rates will also go up. Inventory is still a challenge.

If you need any help give me a call! Thanks for watching!

How is the construction market in the Toledo area?

Hi everyone! The question I’m hearing a lot lately is ‘What’s going on with the new construction?’ So, I wanted to give you an update!

The supply and demand have been off lately. In a free market, though, that balance corrects itself. So that’s why we are starting to see new construction. There’s a shortage of sellable homes right now. Sellers are responding to that by putting their home on the market and builders are watching what’s going on.

Let me give you the greatest tax dodge in America right now! But don’t tell anyone I told you! Become a builder. Build your own house and live in it for three years. After that you can sell it; all your gain, the imputative value of all your labor is all tax free. There are no income taxes!

I have clients who are doing this now and it’s absolutely phenomenal! The greatest way to make money is to build your own home and sell it!

The second thing I wanted to talk about is how the supply and demand is out of wack. You’re not going to see smaller builders building. In the last boom market (7-9 years ago), everyone became a builder. Most of those guys are gone and I don’t think they are coming back.

The Toledo market is interesting because we don’t have big national builders here who take lot after lot. Instead we have a few local large builders. That’s who’s building, not 70 smaller builders.

Here’s how you buy a new house today. For the last six years you had to basically do a contract. Today, there are enough spec houses for you to buy. The other way is kind of cheating; you want to find a transferee who bought a new house and they have been transferred in the first year or two.

So, it’s a tight market. Supply and demand is out of wack and the huge number of builders we had is mostly gone. I ran some statistics and found some fascinating information. There’s 60 brand new houses active in the MLS from $130,000-$174,000. And 40 of them are pending! So if I’m a builder, I love those odds!

So now is a great time to build! The market is heating up big time! So if you are thinking about new construction, give me a call 419.874.1188 or send me an email at jon@modene.com!

How Will Rising Interest Rates Affect You?

Welcome back to my real estate blog! Lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions from both buyers and sellers about how the rising interest rates will affect them.

Buyers are going to take a harder hit than sellers. Most buyers have been looking at a base interest rate of 2-3% over the past few months. Rates have increased to 4-5% now. This is a huge impact mentally; financially it’s not that big of an impact. You are only going up one point.

To explain financially, a payment for a typical mortgage product six months ago was just around $1,700, now with the increase in rate it’s just above $2,000. That’s a $300 hit on your income. This will cause affordability problems for some which will lessen then buyers’ pool.

My advice to buyers is to get the house you want at the price you want, but with a fixed rate. I would not recommend getting a variable interest rate mortgage.

The rise in interest rates won’t affect sellers as much. You may think that now your home isn’t worth as much, but the reason for that is because appraisers are valuing your home at less. The reason for this is because of the dramatic changes in the market. With multiple offers, I am able to get you more than the appraisal value.

If you have questions about how the interest rates will affect you, give me a call 419.874.118

How to Win Your Dream Home

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A lot of you want to know the secret to winning the bid on a home.  It’s most important to know the market first.  The most recent report for the Perrysburg area shows a three month inventory.  This means that if no other homes came on the market there would be no houses for sale left.  That is the lowest I’ve seen in my career.

The report also shows the number of houses for sale has dropped from 500 to 280, yet prices have held steady or declined based on closed home sales.

Now that you know the market, we have four tips to help you win the home you want.

Don’t Look Back

When you find a home you like, make a bid.  There is no assurance a house like it will come on the market soon.

Be Serious

Make your best offer first.  If you give a weak offer first, often times you are helping someone that has a better bid get the home.

Hire a Local Real Estate Expert

You need someone who knows what they are doing.  It is a competitive market; you need a full time real estate agent who will work around the clock for you.

It’s Not Winner Takes All

Make an offer that works for both you and the seller.  Communicate with the seller, find out what they want.  If you’re flexible in other channels you may be able to get a better deal.

If you have any questions or want to know more visit my website at www.modene.com or call me at 419-874-1188.  We’ll find a way to help you!

Mobile Home Searches Changes How We Search and Find the Perfect Home

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Each year we come across countless new technologies; some have a significant impact on our home search experience while others put the entire process on overdrive!

In our constant quest to bring our buyers and sellers the ultimate experience, we are always scouting the industry for the latest and greatest tools designed to make things easier. With the newest thing in real estate being mobile home searching – we set out to find out which platforms offer the best visibility and what makes them good. Here is a look at the platforms we suggest you use and the reasons they are proven successful.

MLStoledo.com or GoToledoHomes.com 
Visit these sites for the best home buying experience in the business. These are the search engines of our choice and they are always up-to-date with the latest, factual information you need to make informed decisions. Using your tablet, mobile phone, laptop or any other mobile device that supports these platforms, you will instantly notice a difference.

Constantly Updated Data Feeds
It used to be a process that would painstakingly take weeks before you could expect to receive updated information. Then it slowly boiled down to one week between updates, then a few times each week, then daily and finally hourly. Today, when you use move.com and move.com affiliated websites, you will receive up to the minute information, updated four times each hour. So if you see a listing with a reduced price, you know that price is accurate. And you know the information displayed is the most recent.

More Communication by Agents
Most large-scale, national home search sites are driven by heavy sales and marketing efforts designed with a for-profit goal in mind. So you may not always get in touch or be able to reach the agent you’re seeking when it comes to finding out more information about some listings. Our recommended mobile search sites eradicate that concern, with move.com administration working on ways to strengthen agents’ commitments to get in touch and respond to your inquiries.

Straight Factual Information
Many national websites are geared toward presenting listing information that may or may not be up-to-date. In fact, a lot of the homes you might find in your search are purely based on public records rather than through an MLS IDX feed. Our recommended sites present only active listings that you can actually expect to see. Straight, factual information is critical in a fast-moving marketplace like today.

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We are committed to making your home buying experience the best it can possibly be and with today’s mobile home search platforms, you need to be searching on sites that give you the most accurate information, in the fastest amount of time. Call us today for a customized consultation about your home buying needs or if you’d like to see any of the homes you’ve found on your mobile search!

How to Influence a Lower Homeowner’s Insurance

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Very surprisingly, many homeowners have no idea that if they were to shop around they could easily save a significant amount of money from one insurance carrier to the next. But there is an even greater hidden secret that could end up saving you hundreds of dollars more each year (if not more) and it is very simple.

It turns out that with just a few simple and easy “tricks” you can keep a lot more money in your pocket. Here are some great ways to help bring your home insurance premium payment down:

Update Your Home to Current Safety Code
One of the easiest (and inexpensive) things to do is to change out the old plastic dryer vent accordion pipe with a metal one. It takes minutes to do and as soon as your insurance finds out you’ve made the change that extra fire safety precaution will bring down your insurance rate.

Similarly, install updated fire and smoke detectors, put in carbon monoxide detectors and monitor chemical and gas levels in and around the home so that if needed you can have mitigation systems installed.

Lower Your Deductibles
How often does an insurance claim really happen? Take a look at your past track record and if you’re like most of us, chances are you don’t have a lot of insurance claims on the property. By simply increasing your deductible amount you will make your premium go down. At the same time it will help you to take extra precautions around the home so that you won’t have to file a claim and pay a large deductible.

Conduct a Mini-Audit of Your Home
Get in touch with your insurance agent and ask him or her to help you conduct a mini-audit. Take a look at all the existing policies, riders and coverage items you have. In addition, go through the home and identify other opportunities (like the dryer vent) that will lower your insurance rate.

Avoid Excessive Claims and Check With Your Agent First
A common mistake made by some homeowners is to file a claim, sometimes repeatedly, for issues that tend to raise red flags within in the insurance industry. For example, claims that deal with flooding, water-related issues or dog bites – all have the tendency to make your premiums go up. If possible, try to avoid making these claims and talk to your agent ahead of time to make sure they agree filing the claim is a good idea.
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There are other ways to chip away at your homeowner’s insurance premium, such as checking to see if they provide discounts for local college Alumni or being a member of some associations.  Call your insurance agent for more ideas.

As always, we are right here ready for you when you are ready to buy your next home. We look forward to helping make your real estate goals come true.

How to Influence a Lower Homeowner’s Insurance Premium

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Unless you live in a very volatile area, chances are your homeowner’s insurance premiums are fairly standard. But one thing that many people do not realize is that they can actually have an impact on the amount they are charged for insurance.

There are several factors involved in a homeowner’s insurance premium calculation and if you play your cards right you may be able to end up with sizable savings. Homes that are located in areas that exhibit frequent and volatile storms or acts of nature on a regular basis – such as earthquake zones, hurricane prone areas and tornado belts - will obviously see larger premiums. And seasonal weather changes like hail or windstorms will also have an impact on the rate you will pay for insurance on your property. But for the most part, there are ways to save on insurance.  Here are four factors that you can control that will help you to save money.

Cut Down Those Claims

The single biggest impact you can have on your insurance premium rates is the number of claims you file. This is largely applicable to those claims you have control over. Acts of nature will impact your rates less than deliberate or reckless occurrences such as a fire that occurs during a cookout. Be mindful of the number of claims you file and it will keep your insurance premiums down.

Spruce Up Your Credit

Like with everything else, insurance companies also want to know that you are responsible in handling your finances – in fact, they rate homeowners (and others) with an insurance score that is similar to a credit score. An insurance score takes into consideration your credit, claims history, property location and value. It is essential to get and keep good credit. Paying bills on time, avoiding late payments and demonstrating solid financial responsibility translates to lower premiums because insurance companies know they can count on you.

Choose Location Wisely

One factor that many people do not realize is how close the property is to the local fire department. The further away from a fire department the home is located the higher your insurance premium will be. In fact, your insurance premium can go as high as 50% to 60% higher than if you lived closer. The reason is the added risk of total loss since it would take them that much longer to get to your location.

Go For Higher Deductibles

At one point, deductibles for homeowner’s insurance were lower than they typically are today. Where they were once only $250 or $500 per claim, deductibles for most policies are now $1,000 with some people opting for even higher amounts – as much as $5,000. There are two reasons for the higher deductibles; not only do they serve as a deterrent from smaller claims but also homeowners receive a break on their premium.

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If you would like more information about how you can positively impact the cost of your homeowner’s insurance – or for any other property and real estate related inquiries, please contact us today!

Buyers Receive a Library of Resources on a Custom USB Stick

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We know that things are changing almost everyday. Gone are the days of triplicate documents and in come digital signatures. Those huge PC units and monitors? Replaced by every kind of mobile device that you can imagine under the sun.

So it only feels natural for us to progress with other things too. That’s why when it comes to serving our buyer clients – we don’t just hand a copy of our business card to you. We actually give you a USB stick that you can take with you. The beauty of this is that all the information you could possibly need is right on that stick.

We have everything from how to find the right Realtor ®, knowing the basics of the home buying process, to more detailed things like understanding Buyer Agency and market statistic reports so you know the area’s housing activity.

You can plug it into your computer and literally access our library of materials designed exclusively for you. If you want to add all electronic documents that pertain to your transaction, you can do that also. That way you have everything in one nifty little package. We even share information on how to go about shopping for a mortgage, sample contracts you can expect to see in your transaction and helpful tutorial videos that take out the guessing game of what you are going to experience.

We do this all with one goal in mind; to make our buyers’ experience the best it can be, to provide the most valuable information to you and to educate you so that you are prepared throughout each step. When you have these things in order – you are in a position to make good decisions about your real estate. And that’s what we want.

So the next time you decide you want to look at a home, or even if you just want a copy of this fantastic resource, just let us know. We’ll be glad to give you yours. And as always, we are right here for you, looking forward to making all your real estate goals become a reality!