ABC Appraisal Company

http://batonrougerealestateappraisal.com/ – Baton Rouge Real Estate Appraisers News: Tax Credit Extended

Wow! I arrived back at the office to receive a flood of news about the Tax Credit Extension.

From Wells Fargo Mortgage:

Tami Luhby, with CNNMoney.com, is reporting that Congress Extends Homebuyer Benefits! Bill Extends Homebuyer Tax Credi Into Next Year. Here’s a snippet below:

“NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — New homebuyers are poised to see the $8,000 tax credit extended into mid-next year.

The legislation extends the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. The controversial credit, which many say has boosted home sales in recent months, was set to expire after Nov. 30.

The bill also creates a $6,500 credit for those who buy a home after living in their current house at least five years. That measure would apply to contracts signed by April 30 and closed by June 30. The current credit defines a first-time homebuyer as someone who has not owned a residence within the past three years.

The credit would be available only for the purchase of principal residences priced at $800,000 or less.”

From Darren James @ Keller Williams Realty:

“Breaking News!!!

As of today-Thursday, November 5th, the bill has passed involving the extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit and will be sent to President Obama for his signature. The new program will go into effect when President Obama signs the bill. Click link below for details!!

CLICK HERE FOR PDF PODCAST

From Baton Rouge Business Report:

Realtors pleased tax credit extended

http://www.realestateappraisertips.info/ - Three Real Estate Appraiser Marketing Strategies Using Twitter?

Twitter is an amazing “FREE” online marketing business tool with almost an endless supply of potential uses….only limited by your creativity.

EBAY. For example, last week, I saw where a guy with a list of over 20,000 twitter followers was sending out a tweet about his own Ebay listing for sale with a link to click to view the listing. That’s in genius!

LOCAL MLS. My local MLS uses Twitter to alert (text) those that follow of system outages and changes in MLS procedures. It’s my understanding that some Airlines and Dell use Twitter to update clients. How can you use Twitter in your Appraisal Business? I have “@appraisalupdate” twitter account when it’s figured out.

Before I explain the 3 Possible Twitter Marketing Strategies, I first have to convince you of “WHY” Twitter is worth your time. Why should an appraiser care about Twitter? Twitter is a “Microblog” meaning Easy Google Indexing! That’s Why You Should Care! Here’s 2 Examples of Google Indexing My Recent Tweets:

Tweet Made From @appraisertips

Twitter is Important for Businesses; Need Convincing? – Website …
Oct 26, 2009 … Twitter Training For Real Estate Appraisers: What Is Follow Friday? | Real Estate Appraiser Tips | Home Appraiser Tips! wrote Twitter …

Tweet Made From @fhaappraiser received 11/04/2009 AND Google Indexed My Tweet within 27 minutes of posting it.

Appraisers In Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge Business Report & First …
http://twitter.com/fhaappraiser Bill Cobb FHA Apprsr · 27 minutes ago. RT @ tweetmeme Appraisers In Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge Business Report & First American …

NOTE: FOR MORE ON APPRAISERS USING A BLOG AND TWITTER AND GOOGLE INDEXING, SEE THE NEXT ISSUE OF WORKING RE MAGAZINE DUE OUT SOON!

3 LESSONS & THE 3 TWITTER MARKETING STRATEGIES:

Strategy #1.) Using Twitter As A Microblog Without Being Concerned About Followers! Do You Really Need 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 Twitter Followers? The Answer is NO! As one can see from Google Indexing my tweets, even if you didn’t have a single follower on your appraiser Twitter account, you could accomplish being indexed in Google for your local market. SEE COLUMN #1 below. That’s what Chris Alberre, with Alberre Appraisal Group, is accomplishing by using Twitter. Follow Chris @AlberreAprGroup

Strategy #2.) Build A Local Appraiser Twitter Account Concentrating On Gaining Followers From Your Local Housing Market(s)! And then, tweet local real estate related news items to them occasionally about local housing market trends, local real estate, etc.. Within this strategy, you do want to build a large local twitter follower base. SEE COLUMN #2 below. That’s what George Kimmel, with Focus One Appraisal, is accomplishing by using Twitter. In my opinion, George is one of the top 10 appraisers on Twitter because of the “value” he delivers in his tweets. Follow George @miamiappraiser

I saved the best for last. Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due! Before I begin with Strategy #3, let me say that Jonathan Miller, in New York With The Matrix Blog and Miller Samuel Inc., is the premier real estate blogger and was one of the first in our industry to adopt Twitter. Part of what I have learned about Appraiser Twitter Marketing is attributable to Jonathan Miller and I give him credit for that here. He’s been my silent mentor for several months now. Follow Jonathan Miller on Twitter @jonathanmiller

Strategy #3.) Using Twitter To Build Links and Attention To Your Appraiser Websites And Blogs. This is tweeting about recent articles you may have written or local market studies you’ve performed (aka the 1004MCs you perform daily). This can be an extension of Strategy #2, requiring a follower base, but linking your own local content. And, the example for this is located below in my 2nd Google Indexing Example:

Appraisers In Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge Business Report & First …
http://twitter.com/fhaappraiser Bill Cobb FHA Apprsr · 27 minutes ago. RT @ tweetmeme Appraisers In Baton Rouge: Baton Rouge Business Report & First American …

One of Jonathan Miller’s recent tweets for his website or blog content was this:

“New on Matrix: [Matrix Hack] Medicinal Proof Housing Market Is Up http://bit.ly/4sCim2 “

How Can You As A New Appraiser on Twitter Use Strategy #3? You Can Read The Next Issue of Working RE Magazine Due Out Soon For The Answer!

http://www.fhaappraisersbatonrouge.com/ – Mary Thompson, GA Appraiser, Outlines FHA’s Move Towards HVCC Appraisal Rules….Get Ready For More Change!

Mary Thompson, Flowery Branch, GA, issued a post on Active Rain this morning that outlines the changes in FHA Appraisal Policy…..AND, it includes some Good News for FHA Appraisers regarding FEES! The link to the post is here. Here’s the outline of the

1. Good news for appraisers, the AMC’s who normally pay CUT rate fees and who care less about quality appraisal reports and experienced appraisers and more about making money, must pay appraisers based upon normal market rates for completing FHA assignments. However the borrower will wind up paying more for FHA loans as the appraisal fees will be even higher….at least this is my take on the situation as the AMC’s will jack up their prices to the banks to pay the appraisers what they should and to make profit for themselves as well.

2. Mortgage Brokers will no longer be ordering appraisal reports. So this repsonsibility will go to the Banks or the AMC’s.

3. Appraisal reports will only be good for 4 months rather than 6 months.

4. Good NEWS: FHA will allow appraisal reports to be transferred to another lender rather than having another appraisal report completed.

5. The only way another appraisal report can be completed if someone does not agree with value is the report will have to be flawed in some way and it will have to be proved that flaws exist in the report

6. No one can talk to appraisers about value issues. REALTORS, you can still give Appraisers comparable sales data, that is NOT prohibited, you just cannot talk to them about value. The banks and AMC’s can discuss particulars of the assignment, but no one can pressure an appraiser for value PERIOD!

7. As of October 1st only CERTIFIED Appraisers can complete FHA appraisal assignments.

8. FHA will require that the appraiser is knowledgeable in the area that they appraise. So if you find an appraiser coming from way out of the area to do an appraisal, this would be one reason to suspect the accuracy of the report. This has ALWAYS been required of appraisers as part of USPAP ( Competency RULE) but many appraisers would take the job no matter where it was and this is not good, if they have no clue about the area.

9. Banks will be liable for the loans they underwrite, not brokers, so there may be more FHA brokers coming from the picture.

To read more about it click here for the full story:

http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/09182009_drastic_fha_guideline_changes.asp

Pass this along, this WILL affect your business as of JANUARY 2010.

http://www.easilyaddvideotowebsites.info/ - Real Estate Appraisers: WordPress Video Sales Letter 2 Now Available, I Build Your Online Video Business Cards

Here is what you get in this bundle of software and training!

Everything you need for your WordPress hosting account to do it yourself. Just add camera, video editing software, like many of you have, a finished sales video, and you are good to go! Online in business in minutes, No web designer, no webmaster, just a product or service offer, a video and buy button!

WordPress Video Salesletter Training Tutorials viewable online or download to your computer

S3 Media Player Lite (Amazon S3 Account Needed) and FLV Producer Lite Included

Plugin Uploader software to upload your themes and WordPress plugin software included

5 sales letter templates . All you do is modify the header graphic and you are ready to go in business!

Resources for setting up WordPress, hosting and domain names.

Complete training for video editing and post production skills for Sony Movie Studio

Discounts options for Sony Movie Studio, A Flip USB Netcame and Tripod if you don’t have one. Easy to add to your order on checkout, or get them elsewhere, that’s ok, the tools are needed, but the training is the magic!

I have too many success stories too numerous to mention doing Video Sales Letters, that I know this will work for you if you just try it. If you do not agree after trying it for 60 days, I will refund your investment, no questions asked. But if you don’t try, you will never know!