Schuylkill County Real Estate: January 2008

Radon Training for Real Estate Professionals

Radon Training for Real Estate Professionals in Pennsylvania

7 Hour Elective CE units for Real Estate
Agents and Apprasiers

Sponsored by the Eastern Radon Training Center,
Rutgers University and the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Registration Fee - $25 (lunch provided)


Radon affects the home buyer, seller, and the real estate agent. The radon advice you provide as a real estate agent may have risk management and legal repercussions. This one-day program is designed specifically to help you better understand how radon can affect human health and how to manage the role that radon may play in the real estate transfer process.

HOW TO REGISTER:

For more information, or to register, please visit: "Radon Training for Pennsylvania Real Estate Professionals" at http://www.cookce.rutgers.edu/brochures/intros/radonrealestate.html. Or, by phone, please call (732) 932-9271. Be sure to identify the specific date you wish to attend.

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


0 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 24 2008 05:57PM

1 page or verbal "offers"

What is with the sudden increase in verbal and/or 1 page "offers" that don't mean anything??? Is it just this market or are agents just getting lazy?

 

Three times this week I got calls from agents who have investors writing offers on properties. 1st agent told me he'd be faxing an offer--and when it came in it was 1 page, hand written, with nothing but price offered, settlement date, and a 10-day contingency for the buyer's contractor to veto the agreement. I asked agent to write it up for real, and he said "It's an investor, he won't do that."

Then another agent called and asked  if I wanted an offer to be made verbally or on a 1 pager.  My reply--neither. I want a PAR standard contract WITH money down.

Both said that they do this all the time. They make an offer on a 1-page short form, we negotiate, and if we come to an agreement then they write up the PAR contract and put money down.

Then a third one came in with the SAME lines. What is going on here?  

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


8 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 23 2008 05:50PM

Let's pretend our vote matters!

This is a nice diversion. The Morning Call is hosting a "let' s pretend we matter" poll on their website. It's just not fair so many states have their primaries before ours. Most likely, the winners will be chosen way before we get to vote in our own primaries. But you can go here and pretend to vote right now, and see the results: http://www.mcall.com/news/elections/president/all-election-2008-polls,0,7203572.htmlstory?coll=all_news_local_newsletter_util

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


0 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 22 2008 04:59PM

The Home Equity Crisis Ahead


Even banks that dodged the subprime bullet face losses from loans based on homes now at risk

 

This is an eye opening story at Businessweek.com. It talks about the mortgage crisis spreading to other types of loans, not just interest only or high risk loans. THe same site also has a good article about how consumers are using too much plastic to make ends meet, and now are having a hard time making the payments on their cards. 

 

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_04/b4068000575390.htm?chan=autos_real+estate+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_real+estate+news 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


2 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 22 2008 09:30AM

Another great photo op!

This lot listing just expired on our MLS after 250 days on market. I guess that's one way to photograph a LOT that is listed! I thought we could all use a laugh today, with all the crazy news out there -- the scary NYTimes article about the agent being sued, the stock market gyrations, worldwide markets plunging. SMILE! 

 


 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


3 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 22 2008 09:26AM

Taxes ... watch for your forms!

January 31, 2008 is the deadline!

Employers must have W-2 forms to employees and 1099s to independent contractors. Companies that pay interest or other forms of compensation must give individuals documents detailing those earnings or profits. This includes interest earned, dividends and other corporate distributions, mortgage loan interest, royalties, amounts paid in broker and barter exchange transactions, certain gambling winnings, prizes and awards, profit-sharing distributions, retirement plan distributions, original issue discounts, and debt cancellations.

 

If you're an independent contractor (and most of us are on this forum, I think!), the brokerage you worked for should send you a Form 1099-MISC showing your gross earnings. You can view, but not download, Form 1099-MISC online at the IRS web site: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1099msc.pdf.

So if you're getting a 1099-MISC from your broker, you should have it soon. If you're an employer or broker, don't miss the deadline!  

 

Now that I write this, I have to kick my butt in gear and get my agents' forms in the mail! 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


0 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 21 2008 05:58PM

PAR EXCELLENCE CLUB

The PAR Excellence Club honors REALTORS® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATES® who have exhibited a high standard of professionalism through active participation in National, State or Local Association/Board activities, business activity and pursuit of education in the real estate field. Any PAR member is eligible to apply. 

The deadline is March 31, 2008.

 

Have you applied yet? My guess is that many agents who are active on the Pennsylvania Professionals group would definitely meet the criteria! I just filled my form out--it only takes a few minutes of your time.

 

Any member of the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® is eligible to apply. This includes brokers, associate brokers, office managers and salespersons who maintain REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® status in their Local Association/Board and in the State Association. A REALTOR® or REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® applying must be a member of the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® in good standing when making application for the PAR Excellence Club.

 

To download the form, go here:

http://www.parealtor.org/content/awards_projects.htm 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


1 comment • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 21 2008 08:44AM

Opportunities Abound!

In a down market, we have agents in our area dropping like flies. Annual E&O Insurance bills are out, franchise bills are in the mail, plus MLS dues. Some are moaning. This is okay! The weak will drop and the strong will survive. Hang in there. If you have the marketing power at your disposal (your sphere of influence, your past clients), do your marketing now! Now is the time to INCREASE your marketing and grab your market share. The weak will pull back. The strong will keep steady or even increase their marketing. Do it! 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


9 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 20 2008 08:43PM

Fragmented MLS's

Okay, I'm frustrated. I opened my own brokerage in 2007 and so far have joined 4 different MLS systems just to get access to data and market my listings effectively: Schuylkill MLS is my primary + TREND + Lebanon/Lancaster to get Keystone Mls AND THEN Greater Harrisburg to get Paragon. What a convoluted system. Yes I want access to all this data, and I want to be able to promote my listings in a wide area (so if I enter it 4x I am covered from Chambersburg to NJ down to Newark, DE). But (1) I have to join and pay for 4 systems. (2) My secretary has to enter each listing and do the upkeep  on 4 systems--each of which has a different entry system and entry data form. Why can't we just form one big network???? UGH.

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


4 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 20 2008 08:33PM

Designated Agency in PENNA

Does anyone know where I can find a list of guidelines for an office to be considered a DESIGNATED AGENCY office? I know the basics of what designated agency means, but is there a checklist of what a broker should do to make his/her office a Designated Agency office? Locked files, designated fax that only a secretary can see, etc. Looking for official state guidelines. 

 

 

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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.

If you're looking for a PROFESSIONAL to represent you in all of your Schuylkill County real estate needs, call Realty Executives at 570-622-6006.

We can meet all your buying / selling needs ... and will exceed your expectations. That's what being an EXECUTIVE is all about

Serving all of Schuylkill County ... Pottsville, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, Auburn, Pine Grove, Frackville, Minersville, Ashland, Shenandoah, Port Carbon, Palo Alto, St. Clair, Barnesville real estate. Click on the link above to search Pottsville PA homes for sale or any Schuylkill County homes for sale. We have all properties listed for sale in the Schuylkill MLS on our website -- free search!

We also operate Schuylkill Appraisal Services, for all your appraisal needs.

 


2 comments • Erica Ramus - www.move2pennsylvania.com - Schuylkill County PA Real Estate • January 20 2008 08:21PM