Follow Friday Tampa: A Tweet' le' dee Engagement

Follow Friday, or #FF for those not yet wired into Twitter yet, is all about finding cool people to follow their feeds. Like Travel Tuesday, and other cliche and catchy hooks, this social media engagement practice can really help your business gain not only followers, but some Klout as well. For this #FF let's look at Tampa Real Estate to see just who is who, and to follow some of them.

As a method, a simple Twitter search for Tampa Real Estate returns many of the most active agents and brokers in that Florida city. The rundown on each, and our following them, is sketched out below. Just so your real estate #ff turns out fun and productive. Here we go.

Tampa Real Estate - @rmasse10 has over 10,000 followers and talks it up pretty good on Twitter too. Some day to day, a few empty spaces, and not the most beautiful Twitter landing in the world, the company behind the curtain is http://www.findmyfloridahome.net/ - Team Masse, is run by  Robert and Carla Masse. The RealtyBiz Social Score on this feed? 4 of 10 (ask why if you need to)

TampaRealEstate - @TampaRealEstate ' This feed shows me a lovely Tampa swimming pool, which makes me want to take the plunge. A respectable 3840 followers, nearly daily tweeting, and a little mix outside 'broadcast' level engagement, tends to the very positive until one surfs to TampaHomesOnTheWeb dot com. I won't be brutal there. The NewTampaHomes blogspot is a lot better. RBiz SM Score: 5 of 10

Tampa Real Estate - @TampaProperty ' 1000 plus followers, and the last tweet having been in 2009? Well. weber1900@gmail.com is a dead duck as far as engagement goes. RBiz SM Score: 0 of 10

tampa real estate - @tampareal ' Nearly 17,000 followers, a few too many followed, and tweets from several years ago show that the owners of now defunct website realestateadvocate.com, may have gone under. RBiz SM Score: 1 of 10 (taps playing in the background)

Tampa Real Estate - @TampaREadvisor ' another upside down (more followed than followers) feed, this one shows 3600 plus fans, a stoppage in tweets since January, and only a Facebook profile linked to. The address given is a Century 21 agency next to SuperCuts and the dry cleaners in the strip mall below. RBiz SM Score: 2 of 10

Danni Nappi ' @dannyintampa ' should have been first on Twitter's search result actually. 25,000 followers, frequent 'non-broadcast' tweets, and even a Google + to boot, the owner of Zest Realty does a far better than average job for engaging via the web for his business. The fact his profiles are not interlaced, and that reaching his website is impossible, take his score down however. RBiz SM Score: 5 of 10

Roberto Mazzoni - @robertomazzoni ' is a 'Certified International Property Specialist Realtor and international real estate investor ' entrepreneur. Author, journalist and international business expert.' With 92,000 plus followers, one can only agree the Clearwater Realtor has something going on.  His blog even ventures so far as to tell readers how Facebook can kill their Realtor Business. First off, Facebook is not a marketing channel Bob. RBiz SM Score: 6 of 10 (Cuz Bob tweets about every ten seconds)

Rae Catanese - @realtyrae ' This lady does a nice job of hitting the high spots. 1000 plus followers, a nice informative website, a very credible FB aspect, Rae (pictured at right) seems to be a lot more than just a pretty real estate face ' or a pretty SM profile. Keep going Rae. RBiz SM Score: 6 of 10

Jackie Colson-Miller ' @RealEstateSizzl ' Tweets occasionally, has over 200 followers, and blogs at RealEstateSizzle.com. Jackie claims her blog is one of the top 50 in the US, which I find hard to believe, as it sits at Alexa 4 million something. I won't argue the point, but this and other factors take down this RBiz SM Score: 2 of 10

Wendy Ross - @RealEstateBrew ' operated what was a respectable Tampa SM feed, a couple thousand followers get regular tweets (back when). She has a couple of websites, and apparently sells homes via Florida Executive Realty too. The dated Tampa Market Homes dot com site, and the defunct feed, chop down a lady who was one of Tampa's top online names. RBiz SM Score: 1 of 10 (for past efforts)

Desperate to find a super real estate engagement in Tampa, I Google searched several keyphrases, and failing miserably even then, I searched Tampa Real Estate via Google Maps. Voila! Up popopped Smith & Associates.

Smith & Associates ' @Smith_Associate ' Maybe it takes some cash outlay, maybe somebody over at Smith hired or knew somebody in the digital game, but no matter, the company has done a nice job. Everything is integrated, the home site is 97th percentile where US real estate sites go, and the company has even bumped up their YouTube Channel.Okay the Twitter feed is a tad upside down, but maybe they are building? 1800 FB likes and all the links and pistons firing. They're even dabbling in Pinterest, for crying out loud.

S & A gets the best RBiz SM Score: 7 of 10  The company would have been an 8 or 9 if not for the small details. For one, Bob Glaser is nowhere prevalent, the boss always has to be. Aha! I did manage to find him (image left)

There you have it, some of the Tampa ' St. Pete area's most 'wired' real estate personalities. Of course, we missed some, for sure. But the point really is, why? If you have to ask, it may be time to do some more reading. As for the ones above that we could follow, we did this #FF. Let's all get better acquainted next Friday, what say?

Creative PRide: Newest Wave of Branding for Business

In PR & marketing news, new offerings from digital PR company Pamil Visions show promise for the real estate industry. Creative PRide , a new offering from the company involved branding on a level not always so transparent in our industry. Media exposure is not just about the New York Times covering your story, and integrated efforts are becoming more and more prevalent. What PRide does is optimize for new media strategies.

Pamil Visions PR corporate website

According to this news, Pamil Visions' core business strategies are employed for stretching beyond traditional press release stereotypes. What the company suggests is that PRide press releases target paths both traditional and non-traditional, sending and receiving a company message more effectively. The company's press release tells a bit of how this is accomplished.

Traditional press releases have been a favored PR strategy for decades. But their impact has been drastically reduced in recent years. Some even claim the press release is dead as a media outreach tool. But this is nonsense, at least according to Pamil Visions' Founder and Principal Partner, Mihaela Lica Butler,who offers advice on a new breed of release:

'A press release doesn't need to be cold and aloof, at least not anymore. Since it will reach customers directly, via search engines or other channels, you might as well consider personalizing it. Write a story that takes your reader on a journey and that reader will invite others to join.'

Creative PRide ' Click to view the program

The news goes on to tell of Creative PRide, and the evolution of the traditional press release strategy. Such concepts as social media optimized titles, which encourage clicks and shares, a focus on the core values of the news, appealing storytelling, losing the marketing hype, and no nonsense reporting style, not to mention social media support and blogging effort directed at news, are all discussed. Rather than 'broadcasting' self serving announcements, Creative PRide builds on constructive interaction with consumers.

According to the company, Creative PRide is not about simply writing and submitting press releases via online channels like PRWeb, BusinessWire, and or PR Newswire, but a complete system that even guarantees some types of media coverage.

The final value proposition here, as Pamil Visions PR suggests, can be the businesses spread the news to broader audiences, and generating back links that carry SEO value, among the many other beneficial characteristics of such programs. Each editorial published, offers a unique branding and visibility characteristic. Mihaela Lica Butler describes how journalistic lattitude, transparency, and original content play a role in ultimate branding exercises.

'Creative PRide was designed to support small businesses and startups in their efforts to reach out to bloggers and journalists. We are so confident in this service, that the 10 outlets guarantee is our promise that the press release will be picked up and not lost among random headlines on a newswire news center. Rest assured, these outlets will all be reputed niche-specific sites, and not some random splogs. We will personally approach journalists and bloggers in our network to make them aware of the news, and we will continue diligently till we meet our promise.'

Creative PRide is available as a stand-alone service of the PRide family of public relations and social media services. As a welcome gift, first-time customers will receive Pamil Visions PR's 'Press Releases Designed for Effect' whitepaper free of charge.

Pamil Visions PR is an international boutique agency, providing a range of professional services including public relations, social media, and content management and optimization to small and mid-sized businesses all over the world. The company works closely with clients to deliver measurable PR campaigns that build brands and reputations. Specializing in hospitality, startups, and travel PR, the company is known for aiding small companies in quickly establish brand awareness and customer rapport.

For those interested in learning more about Creative PRide, and the ways in which your company or organization might benefit, please review the original press release here, or visit Pamil Visions PR's corporate website via the links above. Alternatively, interested parties can reach the company via the media contact Liliana Dumitru Steffens ' at: +49 151 61010958 or by email at: lsteffens@pamil-visions.net

 

Integra Group Adds Property Management Arm

In industry news from Tuscon, Integra Group Real Estate LLC announced their launch of Integra Property Managment, an expansion on their already substantial REO and HUD marketing offerings.

Integra Group Real Estate says the move is an effort to help investors manage retail investments, as well as to bump up property management services for REO listings. The new services allows for thorough research on all properties with regard to; occupancy checks, property inspections and evaluation; posting of government required notifications; providing relocation assistance if necessary and overseeing utility needs, among other values.

According to the news release, the Integra Property Management aspect is fully staffed, With a full-service property management team, and will guarantee complete transparency and audit trails for clients. The Integra team, in collaboration with clients, ensure a guaranteed compliance with their own specific and state or local requirements. As for client value, they are able to access weekly inspection logs, photos of their properties and property inspection videos through the Integra client portal too. Eric Lichtenheld, president of Integra Group Real Estate, added this:

'The creation of Integra Property Management further enhances the way we manage properties and provides a sound platform that will give our clients confidence that their rental assets will be well managed. Our property management team ensures each property is thoroughly taken care of and not only meets the client's requirements but exceeds their expectations.'

Founded in 2005 by Eric and Ofelia Lichtenheld. Integra Group Real Estate specializes in the management, preservation and marketing of REO, HUD and distressed properties to underserved demographics in Southern Arizona. The Integra proprietary services allow brokers strategic property evaluation, counseling, preservation and property marketing assistance to four of the top 10 U.S. mortgage lenders. Readers interested in more info about Integra can visit the links provided, or read the original press release via MarketWatch.

Alternatively, interested parties can contact the company's media contact: Sarah Lewis (678) 781-7209 - sarah@integratucson.com

Google Launch 'Google+ Events'

Looking for a cool new way to invite your clients and colleagues to a business event or real estate open house? Google may now have an answer for you with the announcement of Google+ launching a new feature called 'Events.'

Google+ Events

Once logged into your Google+ account, users will now be able to setup or create a new event, which at first, will act as an invitation. With that, you'll be able to select different event themes, also known as cinegraphs, which were custom-created by Google and feature appropriate images and animations specific for each event type such as birthdays, weddings, or even something as simple as a picnic.

And if you're at all familiar with everything Google offers, then you already know about the Calendar feature that's available once logged into your account. Of course, Google+ Events is automatically synced and integrated into your Google Calendar, which is also an added convenience. In fact, if you're looking at your Google Calendar and have added an event, you'll be able to not only get all the details about the event, but also view the theme chosen for that event, as well as see who will be attending and who else was invited, as long as they have a Google+ account.

So far, Google+ Events sounds pretty basic, right? Well here is where it gets interesting. Google+ Events also has a feature known as 'Party Mode' which allows everyone on Google+ and invited to the event to automatically upload photos and videos to the event page you created. As long as you have the latest version of the Google+ app, the program will pretty much do everything for you.

One article I read about Google+ Events mentioned the idea of having a large screen set to your Google+ Event page, giving everyone the ability to watch photos and videos of the party being uploaded in real time and available to see, which I think is a great thought. For real estate open houses, I think this is especially cool because you can encourage every attendee to take photos of all the things they like about the property, giving you all the information you need on how to further market the property.

In addition, everyone invited to the event will automatically get an e-mail reminding them to upload their photos to the event page and to make this as easy as possible, each person will have a 'folder' that allows them to easily submit anything and everything they want.

Joe Heath is a graduate of Indiana University and also holds a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development from Drexel University. After working in the market research sector and authoring published Market Snapshots for Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, Joe now works as a Web Marketing Specialist and co-owns Real Estate Web Creation with his partner, Ted Guarnero, a 25+ year real estate veteran.

 

Living With a Cramped Master Bath

Few things truly test the fortitude of a relationship like sharing space ' especially when that space is a bathroom.  No matter what type of relationship you're in it's likely that one of you takes significantly longer to get ready than the other, and the process is usually much more complicated and requires much more equipment. Fortunately there are ways to get the most out of a small master bath without having to off your significant other.

© lokaolak ' Fotolia.com

Up, Down & Around

The biggest problem with sharing your bathroom with another person is not so much about the inconvenience of them being in the space as it is about their stuff being in the space. Man, woman or otherwise the fact is that our individual daily bathroom routines usually require some equipment- be it razors, blow dryers or any multitude of other devices used to make one's self presentable.

Then there's two toothbrushes, two deodorants, etc. So the first step in surviving a small master bath is storage and organization. It's essential that you utilize your small space to the maximum of it's potential: that means more than simply throwing your makeup in a drawer or putting your two toothbrushes in a handy holder.

Consider storage implements that go on the walls, behind the doors or in cabinets. Storage towers that sit above the toilet are also a great idea. These solutions provide you with a way of keeping each of your personal needs in the bathroom in a designated area and off of the counter top, which not only opens up a world of storage possibilities but also allows more space for you both to primp simultaneously. For more ideas on best using your space check out this site.

Designation of Space

There is nothing worse than two people fighting for space and mirror time in a small bathroom. Well, that is until you both find yourself digging for some necessary tool in the same cluttered drawer.

Designating space for each of you is essential if you're going to be getting ready at the same time on a regular basis. For this you should set aside his and hers drawers, cabinets or shelves in the linen closet. And keep your stuff in it's place. This way you avoid having to waste time looking for things in cramped and over-stuffed spaces. You might also consider installing another small mirror somewhere in the bathroom so that one of you can use the vanity while the other uses the alternative mirror.

Most any home improvement store can provide you with a small mirror that swings out from the wall and then folds back in neatly or a smaller vanity mirror that can be placed decoratively on another wall. For example, Home Depot has the perfect small vanity mirror that can be easily installed anywhere in the bathroom:

A small bathroom is no reason to call a relationship quits, but it can certainly feel like a good enough excuse while you are elbowing each other in an attempt to get somewhere on time. If you're going to share a small master bath with your significant other savvy storage and designation of space are key to survival and a blissful bathroom coexistence.

Half of US Homes are Underwater on Mortgages

A new survey shows more than half of all US homes with a mortgage are underwater, or more is owed on the property than its current market value.

© cherezoff ' Fotolia.com

The Study was conducted by Housing Predictor.com and is a depressing indication as to the state of the US housing market. This is in spite of efforts by the Obama administration to lift it out of the doldrums.

Around 54% of those surveyed said they were underwater on their mortgage. These figures are similar to those obtained at the end of March by Zillow. Its survey only covered urban centers in the US, but found nearly one in three homeowners were underwater.

This latest survey by Housing Predictor means more than 27 million homeowners are currently underwater, and the housing market has negative equity of an incredible $4 trillion. According to Federal Reserve Bank economist William Emmons, it would take $3.7 trillion to get homeowners on a level playing field with mortgage debt.

In spite of this gloomy news, housing markets throughout the country are showing signs of gradual improvement, with 70 cities either improving or predicted to improve by the end of 2012. Cities in particularly hard hit areas such as Miami and Tampa in Florida are already seeing home values increase.

Virginia Realtor Earns Broker License and Coldwell Banker Previews Designation

Elaine VonCannon

Elaine VonCannon is now an associate broker for Coldwell Banker Traditions in Williamsburg, Virginia. She recently obtained her broker license from the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation after successfully completing several educational modules including Virginia Real Estate Law and Appraisal.

As well as obtaining her Virginia Broker License, Ms VonCannon is an Associated Buyers Representative and Senior Real Estate Specialist, and a seasoned property manager. She has been assisting clients in Virginia for 13 years. This year Coldwell Banker International named her a Coldwell Banker Previews Specialist. This nomination enables her to showcase some of the most prestigious luxury real estate in Virginia to affluent buyers throughout the world.

Sam Mayo, associate broker and director of business development for Coldwell Banker Traditions says 'Elaine VonCannon is a real estate professional who understands what it takes to be an industry leader and is committed to her profession. We are very proud to have Elaine as part of our team.'

Elaine VonCannon and John Starke, who is a financial adviser in Richmond, Virginia, hold joint real estate and investment seminars for the general public. Topics include first-time homebuyers, senior buyers, 1031 tax free exchanges, investment properties, and Delaware Statutory Trust. These seminars help give individuals the tools to look more closely at real estate investment strategies, enabling them to maximize profit.

Mayo went on to say that Elaine 'Blends her real estate success and business knowledge with a true desire to help customers and clients, and it doesn't get much better than that. Elaine is to be commended for becoming a broker as well as earning her distinction as a luxury homes specialist.'

Hakimian Organization Shows Off 75 Wall Street

Some 150 plus brokers and guests sampled the very best New York's financial district offers at a rooftop get together on Wall Street. The location, a luxury condo at 75 Wall Street (wrap around terrace view below), atop the Andaz hotel, saw Downtown Cellars, La Maison du Chocolat, Wall & Water restaurant, Demi Monde and the hotel's Suite Spa celebrated FiDi's re-launch. Douglas Elliman Development Marketing (image below), put on quite a gala for the Hakimian Organization development.

Guests a the exclusive soiree were given the tour of model residences beginging with 21 R ' a spacious 1,011-square-foot studio currently for sale. Across the hall from the wine tasting hosted by Downtown Cellars, La Maison du Chocolat treated attendees to wonderful chocolate 21 P ' a one-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium. Then the penthouse at D1, saw guests indulged in therapeudic massage by the onsite Suite Spa's Jason Burns. This 3,230 square foot affair is a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath residence listed for $4.5 million. Ben Hakimian, Founder and President of The Hakimian Organization, offered additional comment:

'The summer soiree was a perfect opportunity to showcase what the neighborhood and 75 Wall have to offer ' I don't know what our guests enjoyed more: the amazing food, delicious drinks or spectacular views of downtown Manhattan. The Financial District is a thriving 24-hour neighborhood and we are fortunate to be at the center of it all.'

75 Wall Street images courtesy http://www.hakimian.com ' click to view more

Finally, a sunset cocktail party at the building's class-ensconced residents' lounge capped off the tour with tastes of a variety of specialty plates and spirits from the award-winning hotel's menu. Demi Monde, a superb local restaurant, served up oyters and other delicacies on the wrap around terrace, showing guests a 360 degree panorama.

The reader need not attend a cocktail affair to view the mastic property mention,  or many others actually. The Hakimian shows off their properties and business as well as any organization we have seen. The company has a stable of listings in the residential, commercial, and retail spaces to be envied. Exclusive listing up and down Wall Street, and Lexington Avenue, to the Andaz Wall Street hotel, 75 Wall Street is just another jewel in this company's crown. For more info on this news, please visit the links provided, or contact Yael Goldman at Hundred Stories PR via phone: 518.366.7649 or email: Yael@hundredstoriespr.com

Memphis, TN, Foreclosures Spike As Bank Settlement Takes Hold

Now that the official settlement of the 'robo-signing' scandal has been completed, and banks are getting back to business as usual, foreclosures in Memphis are beginning to spike significantly. According to an article by local Memphis real estate broker, Joe Spake, which appears on his blog at the 'Memphis Real Estate Buzz' Year-To-Date, foreclosures in Memphis are up 35.4% over 2011.

© Pontus Edenberg ' Fotolia.com

It's likely this is because banks in Tennessee reduced their foreclosure filings in 2011, while the 'robo-signing' scandal was litigated. The lawsuit was finally settled early this year. Now that the details are in place, the banks are free to proceed with new foreclosures. It's becoming increasingly clear that the banks are now making up for lost time.

The pace of residential sales has also picked up in Memphis. But as reported in the Tennessee Bankruptcy Lawyers Blog, prices are still being dragged down.

The word through the real-estate-investor-association-grapevine is that Memphis is 'hot' with foreign and out-of-state investors. Undoubtedly this is a big part of the increase in sales, along with the frequent bidding wars cited in the bankruptcy blog. Even with the competitive bidding among investors, Memphis prices have only budged 0.5% from 2011 to 2012.

Memphis does have an elevated foreclosure rate, a lot of 'shadow inventory', and the official 2010 census indicated that the city is losing population. Perhaps the suburban areas are growing. But fundamentally, if the entire Memphis MSA is losing population, this would imply that investors need to be cautious. There is a lot going on here to add new inventory to the market, even as the population seems to be dwindling. This is not a good fundamental if this trend were to continue.

Memphis has a lot going for it. It's located right on the Mississippi river, and is the midwest hub for shipping by water and air. Fed Ex has it's main shipping facility in Memphis, and river shipping is also big here. Industries dependent on this prime and unique location are going to be here for the long haul.

Memphis also has a reputation as one of the great music towns in America. From the 'King of the Blues', BB King, to the 'King of Rock'n Roll', Elvis Presley, Graceland and Sun Records, Memphis has long been a mecca for musical artists and fans alike.

As with any market experiencing housing inventory that exceeds 'available demand', (that is, people who actually plan to live in the property), investors should proceed with caution. Owner occupant buyers should do likewise. Some neighborhoods are going to do much better than others.

For best results be aware of the foreclosure and/or rental activity in the area where you plan to live or invest. Investors should negotiate hard on REOs and keep a very conservative approach to property values and cash flow assumptions. Owner occupant buyers should also expect more leverage in negotiations for the average property. The fundamentals do not appear to support any significant increase in property values for the rest of 2012. Take your time and 'buy right'.
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Donna S. Robinson is a 17 year veteran of the real estate industry. She is a real estate investor, licensed agent, speaker, author and consultant. Her website is Realty Biz Consulting.

Is a Real Estate Partnership Right for You?

Real estate partnerships are very similar to marriage.  Some of them are great and last forever, while others never make it out of the honeymoon period and end up fighting over the wedding gifts.  Just like you would want to get to know a potential spouse before deciding to tie the knot, you have to make sure you know the person you're trusting with your real estate investments.

Don't shake on it just yet' © peshkova ' Fotolia.com

If you don't take the time to get to know the person, research their background, get some references on them and see what other types of deals they have done, you are taking an enormous risk with your money.  This person may not have the same goals or objectives from real estate investing as you do.  They may have a different set of ethics and standards.  Their personality may be a total clash with yours.  There are dozens of things that can make a real estate partnership go sour.  However if you do it right, they can be extremely profitable.

Having a compatible real estate partner will let you close on bigger deals and your risk is spread out between you and your partner.  So what should you look for in a potential real estate partner?

Level of Expertise and Skill they possess 

If you are a 'buy and rent' type investor, you want to make sure your partner understands all of the nuances of that type of investment.  Or if you are looking to expand your investment portfolio through buying and flipping houses then you want to find someone who has a high success rate in rehabbing and reselling.  Always ask yourself 'What will this person bring to the partnership?'  You should also be asking yourself 'What will this person expect me to bring to this partnership?'  If the expectations of both parties don't match then your real estate partnership is doomed.

Funding 

Sometimes a partnership involves one party doing all of the work and another putting up all of the funds.  This seems like a simple enough philosophy but just because someone has money to invest doesn't mean they understand real estate.  For instance if they think you are going to buy a property, fix it, market it, find a buyer for it and close on it all in week then they are going to be extremely disappointed when that doesn't happen.

You have to take the time to educate your financing partner on the time frame involved in your type of investment, the unexpected costs that can pop up and the realistic time frame for getting a return on their money. If you don't do this then you are going to end up with a partner who calls you every fifteen minutes asking if you have their money yet.

Who do they know? 

While it is possible to have a successful real estate partnership with someone who is brand new to the business, you will have a much higher success rate if you are dealing with someone who is 'known' in the industry.  Someone who has a reputation for getting deals closed and making money can open doors for you that otherwise would have remained closed.

A real estate partnership does not always have to be a 50/50 arrangement.  If one party is going to be taking on additional risk or workload then the partnership should reflect that.  Before you enter into a partnership with anyone you should have an agreement drawn up by an attorney.  Just like a pre-nuptual agreement can save you from a bad marriage, a well executed partnership agreement can save you from a bad real estate deal.

Renters Still Dreaming of Home Ownership

Despite claims from some quarters that home ownership is no longer such a big part of the American dream as it once was, a new survey shows that in fact, as many as 80% of non-homeowners would make huge sacrifices to be able to own one.

Dreaming of home © Matthew Benoit ' Fotolia.com

Century 21's Spring Home Buyer/Seller Survey asked non-homeowners straight up whether they'd be able to give up certain luxuries in their lives if it meant owning their dream home, and were pleasantly surprised to discover that the vast majority would do so.

According to the survey:

• 50% would eat out less than they do now
• 49% would buy less non-essential items, such as gadgets, clothes and fashion accessories
• 47% would be prepared to give up luxuries such as trips to the beauty salon and cable TV
• 39% would take less vacations
• 10% would even be willing to contribute less money each month to retirement savings accounts and pensions

What's perhaps even more interesting about the survey are the reasons that so many people are prepared to make these kinds of sacrifices ' quite simply, people are desperate to take advantage of current low house prices and interest rates.

Rick Davidson, CEO and President of Century 21 Real Estate LLC, summed up the general mood when he said:

'For those who are currently renting, purchasing a home is especially attractive right now. In fact, home affordability reached a new all-time high for the first quarter of 2012.'

Even so, despite the keenness of non-homeowners to get their hands on a piece of real estate, many believe that their dreams are likely to remain unobtainable, at least for the foreseeable future. According to the survey, some 45% of renters said that they doubted they would be able to qualify for a mortgage or come up with the necessary down payment any time soon.

Tim Binning Wins Broker/Owner of the Year Honor from Re/Max

Tim Binning

Tim Binning, broker and owner of Re/Max All Pro in Bloomingdale and Sugar Grove, Illinois, and Re/Max Great American North in St Charles, Illinois, has just been awarded one of the top honors presented by the Re/Max Northern Illinois real estate network. He was named Broker/Owner of the Year, Multi-Office at the networks annual awards event last April.

Binning received this award due to his successful efforts to keep three offices thriving in spite of tough market conditions faced by real estate professionals today. As a result of his efforts, Re/Max ranks as the market-share leader in all the local markets in which his offices are located, holding more than a 30% share in each.

Binning strongly believes in giving back to the community, as he and his agents support the Children's Memorial Hospital (the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago), and they were amongst the Re/Max networks leaders in raising funds for the hospital last year.

Every year Re/Max Northern Illinois awards ceremony honours affiliates who have achieved outstanding results in areas of service and sales, as well as in technology and philanthropy. Re/Max has been the leader in the Northern Illinois real estate market since 1989, and has headquarters in Elgin, Illinois. The network consists of 2,100 sales associates, and 110 individually owned and operated Re/Max offices providing a full range of residential and commercial brokerage services.

The Illinois property.com and Re/Max.com websites are leaders in consumer visits among real estate franchise brands. The Northern Illinois network is part of Re/Max LLC, a global real estate organization with 88,000 sales associates in 89 countries.

Becoming the World's Greatest Realtor: Step One

When I set out to evaluate the real estate industry, in as far as ways in which value could be added at the 'B' and 'C' ends of the spectrum, I did not set out on any 'witch hunt' for mediocrity. However, that being the actual case, there are far too many 'witches' of real estate out there. Not unlike used car salesmen (the cliche), Realtors have sometimes taken a bad rap. Now as we look into how they operate, there seems to be some justification ever more. (Be sure and read all this)

So the reader knows, real estate pro or property hunter either one, writing and editing for the web in any genre, involves dealing with such creatures as; the grammar police, trolls of all discription, link snatchers, so called 'digg-like haters', you name it, web news has the gambit of human and almost inhuman discourse and interactivity.

On Our Collective Ears

Like most of you, I too get excited and flabberghasted by it all. Even after 20 plus thousand articles or more, it never ceases to amaze me how obtuse and shallow people can be. Constructive criticism is often met with excellence, as is the case in some comments on a post about Grand Rapids real estate online.

Andrew Ingram came by to comment on a scathing bashing of his online social and other engagement, wholly appropriately and professionally. Similarly, another prominent Grand Rapids professional, Rob Young, offered not excuses for his presence lacking, but a real conversational on how fine initial web insertion can be left wallowing when time and other constraints infringe. In short, professionals do quite often show their true colors in accepting just criticism. Not only this, for you see this is not about patronizing me or any writer, but there is literally no way to improve business or personal traits without critiquing.

On to the subject of this editorial. I am talking about the invariability of seeming arrogance and mediocrity creeping in. Into any discussion of merit, even down right arguing, there always seems to be that component of school yard pettiness. An agent, a startup CEO, some big money investor with more money than brains or humility, just has to get their two cents in. In most cases, these people are far too busy and important to actually engage in any conversation. They simply want to lay on the couch, or sit at the bar, out on the veranda sipping mint juleps, writing instructions to agency subordinates on cocktail napkins. Hey, if you don't want to buy into the next web, fine, just stay off it and leave your SPAMMY comments to your contemporarys' websites.

Do I sound cynical? Or, can you envision contemporaries of yours doing so? I know this answer. Take the third comment on 'When the Market Blows: Grand Rapids Pros Suck', for instance. Ordinarily any editor would remove a simple link SPAM comment directing to interested party's own website or affiliated link, but in the case of Remax veteran John Postma, thirty something years of real estate knowledge (one would think) would give insight and intuition to professionals.

Postma (or his agent) evidently decided to just shortcut convention and what pro marketers and PR proclaim 'the conversation' ' in liue of snatching a link back to his site. Some 'juice' as this is terms (take the time to Google who you deal with). And I quote from the Einstein real estate guru's comment library:

'Top realtors in grand rapids works with many platforms and provide well furnished luxury accomodation with all requirements.'

Now, ordinarily I would just trash such comments as what they are, link SPAM. But this is different. Not only did the commenter not even bother to read the whole article, whoever made it for the company did not even weigh any consequence in my view. This was a little like saying 'We don't give a s___ about engagement, clients questions, even other brokers' shortcomings, we just want the easy way to notoriety.' And what is that, you ask? Standing on someone else's shoulders so one can look taller, that's what. Remember the pencil neck who had a lot of frontal memory, taking advantage of situations in the halls, on the playground? Make no mistake, this Michigan top businessman may be the nicest guy in the world, able to leap tall buildings and then sell them in the traditional ways, like no body's business. But, anyone can do better.

Prove It! The Potential, I mean

Many platforms, or so the comment says? Well, sure enough, there's the Grand Rapids Remax platform where you'll find good ole John listed among the billion others here. There's JohnPostma dot com, where you'll find some high dollar property for sale, even some decent pictures. Why you can even read about John being the #15 salesman for Remax in the US in 2011, right after the proclamation he is the Best in Grand Rapids. John even leverages Twitter with about 20 million invisible followers, and the 10 he shows on his profile. LinkedIn, with over 100 connections, the 2004 Circle of Legends (whatever that is), John even has his church linked to his LI profile.

Okay, let's cut John some slack here. Maybe he or his web persons just don't know? Face it, you don't get to be Michigan's number one Remax salesman for over a decade being a lousy agent. But, this is not the rub here, is it? The lesson, if I am able to teach an online engagement one, is ' 'How can John Postma be even better, richer, service his constituents with even more vast influence?' Let me lighten up here.

John has even ventured off into the Facebook space. All of those six people that like his profile, the three posts he or his understudy made when creating the presence back in April, those are so engaging too. The nearly one billion people on Facebook cannot wait to discover John has; 'Just listed! 5 bedroom, 3 bath in Candlewick estates.' John's website recieves, according to Compete, on the order of 200 plus visitors a month and climbing. That's something like 8 people per day wandering in from Google, Bing, dilligently searching out the world's greatest real estate guru.

I said I would lighten up. But you see, someone had the presence of mind to venture out onto the web. To see news of Grand Rapids real estate, or to hear via office scuttlebutt about some agents getting their grass mowed over here at RBiz. Anyone with an inkling, certainly anyone with decades of business acumen, should have at least considered how come Grand Rapids was the focus of business here. If I am overly fair with one business professional, what of the ten thousand others. That said, being the leader entails rewards and duties. In this case, a wrong interjection, lax marketing practices, and so on, make such opinion pieces mandatory. At least in my view.

You see, people are hurting. America has  taken a gut punch. The biggest majority of the injury was leveled on Mr. & Mrs. John Q, home and American dream owners. Does this sound like some naive altruism? Sue me, I care about not only the proprieties, but people. In my expert view, any business person who has taken the online and mobile channels of communications lightly, is mediocre. This is no matter what their bank statement says. A fool can get lucky, farmers who plow with mules work hard, but the withering crops do not feed the masses. America, nor the world, can no longer afford so called 'experts' the run of the pasture.

Now, all criticisms aside. I would be happy to send John and his team best practices for social engagement, help his company skin their social presences properly, even offer the best experts in the world via recommendations and introductions, to take Michigan's most influential home seller to the people that matter, all for free.

I don't know who would even suggest such a thing, not really. But there it is. Someone comes to my article, plops down a bit of pluff, and wanders off into LaLa Land where they came from, and they get free upgrades. Of course, even if John does not pay me, there is a price. I quote your favorite from Colin Powell, via your own profile:

'There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure'

Add to this commitment and the necessary resources, and this seems like a recipe for success. And, successful people, with resources, have absolutely no excuses for being less than excellent. Barring natural catastrophes, that is.

A last note. I mentioned in the comments under John's that some think any publicity is better than none at all. I always keep my promises. Which do   readers think is better, remaining silent and appearing one way, or'. Either way, you just Don't Mess With the Zohan.

Feel free to add and/or Tweet me here @Philbo

Budget-Friendly Backyard Fixes

Transforming your backyard space can be a lot like adding square footage: with the right fixes you can make a whole new entertaining area and completely change the feel of your home. But for homeowners working on a tight budget the big backyard rehabs seen on TV or home and garden websites might be out of reach. Fortunately there are some ways that you can make small changes to your space that make a big impact.

© CandyBox Images ' Fotolia.com

Patio Furniture

No one enjoys a patio without having somewhere to sit (both their fanny and their cool drink). Concrete itself simply isn't conducive to a comfy relaxing time. Therefore patio furniture is a must for any patio that sees entertaining use.

You might find yourself thinking that buying new patio furniture is an improvement that is a tad on the expensive side, and if you spend your time only considering the stock of large home improvement stores you'd be right. Instead of instantly jumping on a new $300 set from Lowe's, check out some local yard sales or flea markets. The furniture that you find might need a little TLC, but you'd be surprised how far a couple of cans of spray paint and some new cushions can go toward creating a trendy and comfy lounging space.

Also consider re-purposing items for patio furniture, such as using an old shipping pallet to form a rustic table. By thinking outside the box you can create a one-of-a-kind piece that will both inspire and keep costs in check. Visit DIYinspired.com for more great ideas for re-purposing.

Lighting 

A good deal of backyard entertaining has been known to go down at night so you'll want to add some lighting options. Sure you probably have a porch light or flood lights that will provide some light, but do they provide ambiance? Outdoor lighting itself is fairly inexpensive and can add a whole new feel to your patio or deck.

Consider some Chinese lanterns or simple outdoor string lighting to bring a pop of color and sparkle to the space. Solar lighting is also a great way to showcase your garden or to serve as path lighting from one entertaining area to another.

Covering

Having some sort of covering over your patio or deck doesn't just serve as a pretty addition to the space: it also makes summer days spent outside much more bearable. Don't automatically assume you'll need to contact a handyman or contractor to help put this project together. Odds are that your local home improvement store has plenty of options for easily assembled fabric gazebos that will add both protection from the sweltering summer sun as well as a chic relaxing area.

Rehabilitating your backyard doesn't have to put your into foreclosure. With these simple and inexpensive fixes you can enjoy a whole new entertaining and relaxing space, almost as if you'd added another room to your home.

For more ideas on inexpensive backyard updating visit HGTV.com.

Is Your Agency Digital Savvy? Test Your Social IQ

So you want to be the best at what you do? For real estate agents and brokers, there's maybe no more crucial skill or tool set a professional can garner these days than real cutting edge social engagement. In case you ever wondered if the web would become more powerful than radio or TV, if the passing fad of social business would pass, your questions have already been answered.

From McDonald's to Nike, Nikon to Lady Gaga, Facebook and Twitter, YouTube and even your lovely Zillow, a two way conversation between professionals and their clients is going on. Are you the last one standing when the music stops? Take the test below to get a hint as to where you stand. Digitally and business wise. If you are not sure, ask experts like Jeff Turner (pictured upper left), about how SM has helped them.

Now have some fun, if you dare!

Now wasn't that fun? If you sensed a bit of discomfort, felt somehow the questions were too hard. Too easy. This is normal. Not many would figure out the test is loaded. You see' Well, we'll wait and see how the answers go. BTW, you can develop your own cool tests like this, for your real estate engagement even, using ProProfs time tested Quiz Maker platform. The service is also good for training and other more academic and business purpose. For now tho, wait to see how pros answered those questions.

Any YES! Knowing about Lady Gaga IS a true gauge of your social IQ.

Rent-Direct.com Delivers More Savings with 4,600 No-Fee NYC Rental Apartments

Rent-Direct.com is a service that makes thousands of no-fee apartment listings available to renters in the greater New York metropolitan area, and it's just increased the number of rental opportunities available in response to the  rental market.

Rent-Direct.com homepage

Its website is a top destination for New York apartment hunters, and it's managed to up its available listings even as the overall market is contracting. This real estate service has recently grown the number of landlords and managing agents it works with two more than 3,000, and as a result has dramatically increased its selection of active New York City rentals to more than 4,600.

Rent-Direct.com's success is based on its ability to maintain solid relationships with landlords and agents within the city, helping to keep dealings efficient and simple. This has enabled the firm to continue to provide a huge array of rental opportunities to city residents at a time when finding an apartment is becoming increasingly challenging. The number of available apartments to rent in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island is currently less than 1%.

Larry Rosenberg, CEO of the Manhattan rental site says 'We're a no-fee agency, meaning renters don't have to worry about paying a hefty brokers fee. Brokers fees usually work out to just under two months of rent in most of Manhattan and the more affluent neighborhoods throughout the city, which, on top of a security deposit, can be difficult for people to afford out-of-pocket all at once. We boast a huge variety of apartments for rent in New York City, and that number just keeps on growing, giving renters full potential to find their dream apartments.'

The process of finding an apartment is simple, as first lessees can search listings online and narrow down their searches according to size, price, neighborhood and other factors. Once they've reviewed the results, they're asked to subscribe in order to receive full information, which includes the address, landlord contact information, and financial/paperwork requirements. Armed with this essential information, renters can then decide which rental apartments they want to view.

According to Rosenberg many landlords and managing agents list their properties exclusively with Rent-Direct.com as they know most lessees will usually opt for a no-fee apartment. Another advantage is the three-step process allows for better screening, so landlords don't waste time on applicants who aren't properly qualified.

When the Market Blows: Grand Rapids Pros Suck

Another #Follow Friday on Twitter leads me back to searching the web for the best and worst of digital realty. And once again, we have run into a familiar snag, the almost total disregard for the web as a real estate communications conduit. Even for agency customers. This week, Grand Rapids, Michigan is the target market. As you will see in the review below, we had to go pretty far afield to find good work being done on the web.

Hard At It

When the going gets tough, property professionals need to get tougher, engage more. So far, Grand Rapids' online engagement sucks, look why.

In order of appearance in the Google SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), Grand Rapids searches for 'Grand Rapids homes' ends in a dismal listing of cookie cutter national sites, and a sparse few local agent ones. Grand Rapids Association of REALTORS ®, Trulia, Yahoo Real Estate, Zillow, Homes.com, Grand Rapids Craigslist listing, and Grandrapidshomefinder.com will be left out of this review, for obvious reasons. What remains is, well, you'll see.

Marc Brace put himself up a website, at some point. The Prudential Preferred Realtor, to be honest, has so little to compete with in Michigan, his smiling face and personal details appear quite refreshing when compared to competitors. He did not have to go far to beat out other Grand Rapids agents though. That being said, it's safe to say we have a new champion city for the title of 'WORST ONLINE REALTY REPRESENTATION' ' Grand Rapids does not even exist folks.

To give the reader some idea how disappointing Grand Rapids is where online buying and selling of homes goes, let's rate Marc's smiling face, in all honesty. He gets a 1 of 10 for being in the SERPs at all. No Facebook to see, or Twitter, blog, limited info, mediocre pictures, any user stopping at Marc's site is apt to pass on by. That is unless they need to move to GR FAST! Here is his website.

That was the top position for independent agents folks. At least where searching Google for a house in Grand Rapids goes. Next you would find a fellow named Robert Young via a site domain, http://www.grhomebroker.com/. Not exactly keyword optimized, this site is in the top 10 SERPs too! Here, the enthusiastic home buyer can:

• Read Robert's resume
  Contact Robert via a form fill (lead generation)
• Call his office directly at 616-248-0000 (YW Robert)
• Read wonderful testimonials about Robert (is this site all about Robert?)
• And amazingly, find out stuff like utility companies and etc.

Robert, I have never given one of these before, but due buyers should pray I decide to position something above you to knock you and that other fellow out. At Page Rank 1, and Alexa 15 million, I should be able to do that with this post. Grand Rapids Real Estate rates 0 our of 10. If you have to ask why, don't comment for your own good. No image needed. Let's move on.

Grand Rapids Homes Live afforded me some hope, and a bit of wonderment too. Situated just beneath Robert Young's site, Joe Jovanovic of Keller Williams Grand Rapids at least offered a nice image of a fireplace, and even his LinkeIn link to help buyers out. Let's make this painless, for Joe and the reader. Scrolling down like a Wikipedia page to find a sparse LI profile, this does not equal digital savvy, cutting edge house marketing, etc. Joe gets a 1 of 10. Add the Twitter or FB Joe, and get one or two more. Join the real conversation, and we'll offer help for free maybe. Sheesh. Grand Rapids Live, is dead.

Next up? Grand Rapids Real Estate Info. Andrew Ingram, who you can find 'listed' atop the web 1.0 website, evidently heads up something called Realty Executives Platinum Group? Don't click on the mail link in Google Chrome tho, it won't work in the new browsers. I fact, hardly any of the links will work from the old site. About the best I can offer Andrew here, by way of bones, is: There was a lot of data added over the lifespan of this site. Once upon a time, home sellers and buyers might have found a cottage or two here. Sadly, at Alexa 8 plus million, no one really sees this site anymore. Rating: 0 of 10 (that's two zeros in one review)

Wow. Last in the search results, Mr. Brown Sells Grand Rapids (Bellabay Realty) ' Robert Laurence Brown has a BA in Political Science from Aquinas College. He also looks like a very nice man. His digital know how and engagement online for Grand Rapids is ' 0 of 10.

Huber Property Group Grand Rapids Twitter

BUT WAIT! A tweet led me to investigate a possibility for Michigan. On a hunch I followed the link found via the feed of Huber Property Group, landed on their Facebook aspect, then searched their company name. The company having just joined Facebook apparently, has a decent website standing up, SM buttons in place here. So it appears, Owner Clay Huber, and his team, may just pull Grand Rapids out of the dungeon of homes sellers worldwide soon. Maybe.

I won't go into analysis of Huber's SM presence, suffice it to say he has beaten all the others by light years even out of the gate. Form fills, mediocre images, and limited media (stock images etc.) put his online branding somewhere in the middle, nationwide. We have now analyzed a few hundred key markets, for the reason being ' the industry needs more excellent players. Unfortunately, so few are willing to make even small sacrifices. Huber at least, is venturing to help broadcast client values to the web. Looking at his SM effort, tied to the site, the rating should be 6 of 10 for now. For Grand Rapids, just in my view, this is tantamount to Huber being King Leonidas in 300. Let's hope he can hold of the Persians around him.

Summary

This one is not so difficult to break down for you. In fact, I am almost insulting the reader by summarizing here. If Grand Rapids Realtors had any conception of how they might be perceived, their brands harmed, all would make some minimum of improvement. Just linking their Twitter to their sites, if nothing else, would be superior to apathy. So far as I could find easily (and this is one of the keys) only Clay Huber even has a clue. That said, no one should have to hunt for a professional's own website. Grand Rapids sucks where finding a face to trust in real estate goes. This is my view.

Reviving Your Patio: Creating an Outdoor Space Worthy of Your Home

Unless you had an unlimited budget when purchasing a home you probably had some items that you were forced to settle with. Perhaps you wanted a bigger kitchen or living space but compromised in order to find a nice home within your target price range. Whatever the case increasing your satisfaction with your home, a smart move for many homeowners in today's sluggish real estate market, can often be accomplished by tweaking your existing features. One way to increase your home's living space without adding walls is to rehab a patio or outdoor space.

Updating your patio area can be almost like adding a whole new room to your home. It can be used for relaxing, entertaining or even as a spare yoga space closer to nature. Whatever your ambitions you can often rehabilitate your patio for much less money than adding a deck or screened room, and it can often be accomplished in a day. That means that you could be strolling the isles of a home improvement store in the morning and entertaining friends in your new space by night fall.

There have been some colorful trends in patio furniture and improvement projects recently. For instance, staining your patio in rustic colors adds depth to the otherwise mundane nature of a concrete patio. Adding functional storage options such as bench seating with interior storage can add extra utility to the space in addition to stylish furnishings. Another big trend in functional and fun patio improvements is adding an outdoor kitchen. This particular project requires a sizeable patio and a bit more of a financial investment than a new patio furniture set, but the results are guaranteed to wow your guests. Finally, covering your patio with gazebo or pregula will provide much needed shade on hot summer days while adding yet another stylish element to the space. While pregulas are often a bit more costly and require some assembly, gazebos can often be easily assembled and can be found for as little as $100.00. For gazebo ideas visit Home Depot.

The great thing about improving your patio is that you can go as cost-effective or all-out as you want. For those looking to make a big difference on a small budget staining the concrete and adding some chiq furnishings can be accomplished with minimal blow to your wallet. For bigger spenders looking for the true wow factor an outdoor kitchen or pergula could be just the thing to make your patio an entertaining mecca. For more tips on recent patio improvement trends check out HGTV.

Ending The Crisis: Foreclosures Condemn All The Properties

This sounds very similar to Shakespeare's famous quote from Henry The Sixth, 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.'  However there is some serious merit behind this concept being put forth by a west coast mortgage firm.

The basic idea is to keep people in their homes but use the government power of eminent domain to condemn the properties.  Once the properties are condemned then it will be easier for borrowers who are upside down on their mortgages to restructure their loans with a new lender based on what their properties are actually worth instead of what their original loan amount was.

This proposal is being pushed forward in states hit the hardest by the foreclosure crisis like California, Nevada and Florida.  San Francisco-based Mortgage Resolution Partners says condemning underwater loans and taking the ability to modify them away from the private lenders and bondholders is 'the only practical way to modify mortgages on a large enough scale to solve the housing crisis.'

The concept of eminent domain is nothing new and has been around for hundreds of years.  It allows the government to seize private land for the good of the community.  It can do so for any number of reasons such as the property is a hazard to the community, is in someway dangerous, is part of an urban renewal project or if it is just in the way of a planned bridge or highway.  Eminent domain has been well supported in the courts and there are several legal precedents that could support this concept.  However in this case it would definitely be controversial since eminent domain has never been used to take  mortgages away from financial institutions and private lenders.

In their proposal, Mortgage Resolution Partners wants to find institutional investors that will work with local governments by providing billions of dollars to pay for the condemnation process so the tax payer will not have to foot the bill for the legal costs involved in such a widespread use of eminent domain.  The government would then take title to the loans and pay the private investors off based on what they consider to be fair market value also using the money put up by these institutional investors.

These new loans would be restructured so as to allow homeowners in distress to reduce their payments to an amount they could actually afford.  The plan then is to sell these restructured loans to hedge funds, pension plans and the like in order to raise the capital needed to pay back the institutional investors who financed the project.  Mortgage Resolution Partners would act similar to a mortgage broker on all of these new loans and collect a fee.

'We are intrigued,' said Gregory Devereaux, chief executive of San Bernardino County, which is east of Los Angeles and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state. 'Our economy in this county can't be turned around until a large proportion of the mortgage crisis has been addressed.'

'The private sector provides all the financing and all the risk with this program,' said Steven Gluckstern, the firm's chairman and a former money manager and former owner of New York Islanders hockey team. 'We have watched state (and) national government try to fix this and it hasn't worked.'

While this whole concept sounds promising the reality of the situation is the lenders involved who would be getting paid far less than the amounts they are owed would fight this use of the eminent domain power in court.  Their argument would be the power was never intended to be used for this purpose and to do so would go beyond the scope of the legislative intent behind the creation of eminent domain.

The entire process could be an exercise in futility since the lenders involved could potentially delay this matter in the courts so long that the foreclosure crisis will have solved itself by the time a decision on the legality of using eminent domain in this way is reached.

Is There Really A Rental Property Boom? If So, Where Is It?

These days it's pretty common to see articles with headlines that refer to 'the hot rental market', 'rental property boom' and 'soaring rental rates'. And I'm thinking 'oh really?'

Frankly, in my market, metro Atlanta, GA the only boom I am seeing is the number of investors from all over the world attempting to buy up vacant properties in Atlanta's sprawling 13 county metro area. Atlanta is near the top of the foreclosure list, and as such, is also nearing the top of the investor activity list as well.

But investor buyers do not make a boom all by themselves'they need some tenants to pay rent. And it remains to be seen as to whether the tenants will materialize in the numbers needed to constitute a 'boom' in rental property in Atlanta.

I'm a rental property owner myself. I am very familiar with the Atlanta market in particular, but I often consult with real estate investors in other cities around the U.S. The one question that is sticking in my gut about this whole supposed rental property boom is 'where are the end users?'

In most of the high foreclosure cities, which have been magnets for investor activity, there are thousands of properties already waiting for a tenant. You may recall that the problem during the housing boom was an over supply of properties, and a supposed boom fueled by speculators buying houses for investment. There were simply not enough end-user owner occupants then, and with household formation dropping in recent years, I certainly do not see how there is a boom in rentals now. At least not a nationwide boom, as the media would have you believe.

So just what is a rental property boom? The last real boom I recall in metro Atlanta was during the 1980's. Though I was not in real estate in the mid 1980's, I was a tenant, and I experienced this boom first hand. It was 1986. Interest rates were around 15%. With mortgages at very expensive levels, only those with a high income could buy. And ' most notably ' there was no excess supply of properties available for sale or rent.

If you saw a property in the 'For Rent' section of the paper, you had about one hour to get there and put in your application. Otherwise, you'd surely lose out to another tenant who was faster than you. And it was standard procedure to raise rent rates by around 10% per year in those days. Once interest rates fell however, investor activity grew exponentially and the rental rates began dropping as the supply of rentals exceeded demand.

Investors are rushing into cities like Las Vegas, NV, Phoenix, AZ and Atlanta, GA to snap up those foreclosed homes at what appear to be bargain basement prices. But they will be no bargain if there are not enough tenants to rent them to.

Presently, according to Zillow.com the city of Atlanta has 1584 properties available for rent. Of those, 771 are houses. The Atlanta Housing Authority website has a total of 939 properties listed for rent, and that is only the list up to $1,100 per month. There are plenty more if you expand the rent up to $2000 a month. This site also indicates that there are dozens of properties that have been on the market for over a year, waiting for a tenant. And this is ONLY inside the city limits. There are 12 other counties in metro Atlanta, with a few thousand properties currently available for rent.

On average, rental rates in the Atlanta metro market are down about 25% from 10 years ago. Many landlords that I know personally have told me that they've either lowered rents to get tenants, or have worked with delinquent tenants to help them stay in a property. This is hardly what I would consider to be a 'rental property boom'.

Las Vegas, Nevada has 4362 properties for rent today, according to Zillow. Phoenix, Arizona has 1833 properties available for rent. Boston, Massachusetts has 7307 properties for rent. Maybe Zillow just does not update their files, and these numbers are way off, but I doubt that.

I would advise real estate investors to be especially cautious about investing in the cities that were ground zero for the foreclosure crisis. Those deals may not be as good as they seem to be. It pays to know your market well. A lot of remote investors who are buying through third parties may be in for a rude surprise.

This goes for builders and wall-streeters as well. We are all aware that builders seeking ways to make up for poor sales and a surplus of inventory are actively planning to get into the rental business themselves. But builders are amateurs when it comes to rentals. So is the wall street crowd.

As my mother might say, 'they have more money than sense'. If they'd had more sense, they would have picked up on the housing crisis well before it exploded in 2008. The market fundamentals were indicating major problems in housing well before the market tanked. If they had been paying attention to the housing fundamentals in 2005, the crisis might have been avoided. So now we have a rental property 'boom' that is growing even faster than the original building boom did. In terms of market fundamentals, location will be crucial to insure good results. But I can also assure you that bidding on foreclosure packages from Fannie or HUD is not going to leave you with good location.

So, Where Is The REAL Rental Property Boom?

Yes, there is one, and like any real 'boom', these areas have solid fundamentals in place to support it.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ' Only 93 properties for rent. Rent rates higher than much larger cities.

Casper, Wyoming ' Only one property for rent. Yes Casper is a relatively small town, but hey, the guy with that one rental has to feel pretty good about his chances.

And finally, the grand prize winner, with ZERO homes for rent, and only 11 properties for sale on Zillow, the real place where there undoubtedly is a true rental property boom, Williston, North Dakota. The entryway to the Bakken oil field, currently under development. Williston has been transformed from a sleepy, isolated town into a bustling metropolis in just a few short years.

The fundamentals don't lie. Energy is the driver of this rental property boom. All three of the cities listed above are growing quickly due to jobs in the energy sector. Fundamentally you must have an underlying driver for boom times, or else they fade quickly. Witness the abandoned towns from the gold rush days out west. As long as the energy holds out, and prices for oil remain high, these cities and their landlords will have little to worry about.
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Donna S. Robinson is a 16 year veteran of the real estate industry. She is a residential market analyst and real estate investing coach. Her website is www.RealtyBizConsulting.com