Posted by Annalisa Burgos | August 6, 2009
I hear so many real estate agent horror stories from homebuyers and sellers (and have experienced my own nightmare situations) that you’d think “agent bashing” is some sort of national pastime.
While there are some bad apples out there (as there are in any profession), that shouldn’t reflect poorly on the industry as a whole. In fact, I know many people who rave about their real estate agents and consider them part of the family.
Finding an agent is easy. In any given area, hundreds of professionals are vying for your business. Finding the right agent for you is the hard part.
You’re trusting someone to help through one of the biggest purchases in your life, so it’s important to do your research.
Check out FrontDoor’s Top 10 Strategies for Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 31, 2009
It’s tough not to think about how much your home value has fallen since the peak of the real estate boom. But as financial expert Barry Ritholtz points out, falling prices don’t affect you unless you really have to sell.
Furthermore, delusional sellers are blocking the road to the housing recovery. Until they wake up to the reality of today’s market and price aggressively, they’ll need a dose of HGTV’s “Real Estate Intervention.”
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 27, 2009
We could all use a little cash these days, especially those of us who own homes or plan to buy one.
To celebrate the incredible opportunities for homebuyers, especially first timers, HGTV’s FrontDoor.com is giving away $2,500 in CASH to one lucky winner.
Enter the Summer Housewarming Sweepstakes now for your chance to win.
Fill out the entry form here: http://www.frontdoor.com/Buy/My-First-Place-Summer-Housewarming-Sweepstakes-Entry/55192.
You can enter once each day, now through August 25!
Think of all the things you could do with that kind of money! Use it to get caught up with your bills or add value to your home.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 27, 2009
Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are a great resource for journalists like me, especially when you’re on deadline in a city where you don’t have very many contacts. Case in point — before a recent trip to Chicago, I wanted to connect with a local Realtor and film a home tour for FrontDoor’s vlog. The catch — I had a two-hour block in which to film.
Rather than google Chicago-area Realtors and filter through hundreds of agent profiles, I put a call out to our more than 1,000 fans on Facebook. Et voila! Scott Curcio of Coldwell Banker posted a reply saying he would be happy to help.
Next month, I’ll be in LA, San Francisco, Boston and Seattle. If you have a great real estate story, share it with our Facebook community! I may even feature it in our vlog.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 23, 2009
Ever wonder what really happens behind the scenes of an HGTV show? Now’s your chance to find out!
FrontDoor.com is giving you a virtual backstage pass to the new series “Real Estate Intervention,” through Twitter and Facebook.
During a special episode this Sunday, July 26, HGTV real estate expert Mike Aubrey will give you the inside scoop on his show LIVE through tweets and status updates. Tune in at 8:30 p.m. Eastern (7:30 p.m. Central).
But the best part is that you can join the conversation too!
Maybe you have a suggestion for the seller. Or you didn’t agree with Mike’s advice. Tweet and post your opinions and share them with other viewers. No more talking to the TV set alone! I’ll be adding my two cents too.
To join the interactive fun, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HGTVFrontDoor or fan us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FrontDoor.
You can also follow along through the Facebook and Twitter streams on FrontDoor.com.
Don’t you just love social media?
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 21, 2009
I’m looking for a home to buy in New York City. I learn about local market trends through TV and the Web, search for homes for sale online, use my BlackBerry to get listing information in the field (still haven’t bought an iPhone yet), and share my real estate adventures with my social media universe, i.e. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Like many of today’s savvy buyers, I expect the real estate agents I work with to understand the ways I “consume” and “experience” real estate.
Let’s face it — why work with an agent who isn’t taking advantage of all the platforms available to market my house? Advertising on Craigslist is great, but it’s standard practice now. The question these days is — what added value does this agent provide?
On Aug. 5-7, many of the big players in the real estate industry will convene in San Francisco for Inman News’ Real Estate Connect, a conference focused on the convergence of real estate and technology.
On Friday, Aug. 7, at 9 a.m., Scripps Networks Digital president Deanna Brown will host a presentation called “How TV, The Web, Your Phone and the Social Universe are Colliding (In A Good Way).”
Brown will talk about what’s happening in real estate with the use of social media, video, TV, etc. and how this is changing the way people are searching for properties.
The entire team of HGTV’s FrontDoor.com, along with yours truly, will be at the conference, so please say hello if you’re going!
You can register for the conference here: http://www.inman.com/events/real-estate-connect-san-francisco-2009/register
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 2, 2009
In this week’s vlog, find out why it’s important to get a pre-approval before you go house hunting. Some curious homebuyers will check out an open house or two before actually evaluating their financial situation, but this is actually one of the top 10 homebuying mistakes that can cost you.
Plus… Backyard. Outdoor kitchen. Outdoor living room. Pool. Deck. Find out which summer season home updates pay off when you sell.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 30, 2009
During the real estate boom, no one really cared about staging — the act of preparing a home before putting it on the market so it can sell quickly and for top dollar. Back then, homes practically sold themselves. Sellers would get their asking price (or more in many cases) even if the place was dirty or filled with clutter.
Today, staging is the new buzz word. It’s become especially important in this highly competitive market, where traditional sellers are up against foreclosures and short sales (so-called distressed properties) that can offer rock-bottom prices for bargain hunters. And that’s what today’s buyers crave — a bargain.
But a nicely staged property offers that “move-in ready” appeal that buyers are willing to pay a bit more for. They want to see that the current owner is taking care of the home, not allowing it to fall apart, like the abandoned foreclosure down the street. If they see a fixer-upper, they’ll offer a fixer-upper price.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on home improvements or hire a professional stager to reap the benefits of a staged home. There are simple, inexpensive things you can do, including:
1) Clear out the clutter. If you don’t use it, sell it, give it away or throw it out. Hold a garage sale, donate it to Goodwill or post it on Craigslist. People are always looking for free or cheap stuff. If you simply can’t part with something that’s taking up a lot of space, like your winter clothes, pack it up and put it in storage.
2) Clean and repair. Cleaniness is next to godliness, especially in real estate. And be sure to fix what’s broken, including a squeaky cabinet door, leaky faucet or a torn screen door. If you like, replace outdated hardware and fixtures. They’re inexpensive and add that shiny new feel buyers love.
3) Make room and lighten up. Remove extra furniture or use a smaller couch or bed if they’re too big. Cramped rooms give buyers the impression that your house is small and lacks space. Store some of your clothes so your closets look bigger. Choose window treatments and lighting that brighten each room.
We’ve got tons more staging advice on FrontDoor.com. Staging Diva and FrontDoor Insider Debra Gould shares her top staging tips, including replacing family photos and personal items with tasteful art.
And if you have a little bit of a budget, get inspired by the experts on HGTV’s hit show “Designed to Sell,” who find creative ways to turn a slow mover into a showpiece for under $2,000.
You can see the dramatic makeovers in FrontDoor’s Designed to Sell: Room by Room Staging Guide. Check out these before and after pictures. As you can see, staging doesn’t just refer to the inside of your home. See what a difference curb appeal can make?
We just added 21 new videos and slideshows, so you get more cool ideas to bring out the best in your home!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 25, 2009
Here at FrontDoor.com, nuestra casa es su casa.
And today, we’re happy to welcome millions of new members to the FrontDoor family — more than 60 local TV station affiliates throughout the country and their viewers!
Now you can get real estate listings and valuable homebuying and selling tips and advice from HGTV’s FrontDoor.com on some of your favorite local stations’ Web sites. This is just another example of how FrontDoor is reaching out to consumers in their local markets.
So, for example, Atlantans who tune in to WSB-TV and Denverites who watch KMGH, the Denver Channel can go to these stations’ Web sites and search for homes in the area and get great articles and videos from FrontDoor.com.
We’re bringing the tools you need for your home search and sale at a hyperlocal level. How awesome is that! Pretty awesome.
For more details, check out the news release.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 12, 2009
With so much drama in the world, there’s no better time than now to step back and take a breath. It’s easy to get caught up with the stress and emotion of buying and selling a home. That’s why FrontDoor Insider Tara-Nicholle Nelson is sharing her solutions and strategies to deal with today’s frustrating real estate situations, like getting rejected for a mortgage or facing foreclosure after losing a job. It’s all in Tara’s Drama-Free Real Estate Guide at www.frontdoor.com/dramafree.
To spread the word about these great tips and advice, Tara and the FrontDoor team took it to the media — with the important message that now is not the time for consumers to panic (and it’s easy to with all the negative headlines), but rather they should be proactive.
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