The Elephant in the Room

These days I am sure we are all paying attention to the nation’s recovery report card, the stock market’s daily mood swings, the price of gas, the staggering unemployment numbers, and oh yes, the foreclosure market that has been like a wild fire in the Southern California hills; it just keeps growing and spreading. The GDP appears strong at a fourth quarter annual growth rate of 5.7%, but home sales in December were down 7.6%. Does that make sense? Oh sure it does, because December is always a slow month for sales and there was that hiccup in the home buyer tax credit program. I’m not forgetting about unemployment, but why talk about it even though it is the biggest elephant in the room. Well, I guess we have to talk about it because our local flagship newspaper needs a sensational story to fill column inches.

Much to the displeasure of the real estate community, the Gazette once again decided to paint a most negative depressing picture about the real estate market, and the overall state of our union all in the name of truth penned by its resident editorial curmudgeon. The front page headline reads, “Foreclosures and Joblessness Up”. Sure we have about 24 bank owned properties in Dukes County that we are working to absorb, and there will surely be more on the way during this year. However, the writer insists on going on and on about the column inches all the foreclosures are taking up in print, and now we can put a number on unemployment predicting 50% over the next couple months, compared to about half that in normal times. With no new home starts, everyone counting pennies, only buying essentials and eating at home instead of going out to dinner, is this really breaking news?

The good news in this editorial according to Chris Wells, president of MV Savings Bank is petitions to foreclose are not nearly what they are in the rest of Southern New England and the median sale prices in some towns actually increased from 2008 to 2009. West Tisbury shows a 2% increase and Edgartown a 14% increase in median sales prices. According to Mr. Wells, in the other three Island towns, Oak Bluffs was down 27%, Tisbury was down 19% and Chilmark saw the greatest reduction at 43% median sales price.

Martha’s Vineyard continues to bravely soldier on, its citizens doing all they can to make ends meet and keep a stiff upper lip. We have always been a hot and cold running Island with jobs for everyone during the tourist season and one of the highest, if not the highest unemployment rates in the Commonwealth for what amounts to 8 months during the off season. The Island greeting has become variations of “we’re hanging in there” and assurances that “we are all in this together”. Whew, I feel better already. What we all look for every day is some good news, news that will inspire us to keep on because we know summer is coming and with the sun we look forward to greeting all those visitors who love what Martha’s Vineyard has to offer, a simpler way of life.  Oh by the way, bring your checkbook and support the Island economy.

Traditional Real Estate Agencies Rarely Sell Their Own Listings!

Did you know most listings are not sold by the agency representing the seller? The national average a number of years ago was around 13%. However, I was speaking to the principal broker of a large real estate agency not too long ago and she told me her company probably sells only about 5%-10% of their listings in-house. Isn’t that interesting?

I think this is actually a good thing for consumers and real estate professionals alike; it avoids a very precarious situation known as Dual Agency which means neither the buyer nor the seller are represented. The listing agency always represents the seller’s best interest and cannot assist a buyer unless unilateral consent to Dual Agency is given. Therefore, for those who think they can get a better deal by going directly to the listing agency, that is generally a false assumption. Undisclosed Dual Agency would be breaking the law. That is why buyers should find a buyer agent who knows what they are doing, has good relationships with seller agents and is a good negotiator.

Here on Martha's Vineyard, most seller agents realize their listings are overpriced, but they have to appease their seller clients who think they know better. The good-guy, bad-guy dynamic created by the separation between seller agent and exclusive buyer agent usually produces a much more advantageous outcome for all concerned. To be safe and have full access to all properties for sale, I suggest you always hire an EXCLUSIVE Buyer Agent. That way there can be no necessity for creating a Dual Agency relationship and the possible conflict of interest. To be blunt, you want SplitRock Real Estate on your side, and if you need representation in another part of Massachusetts or another part of the country, I will help you get the best exclusive buyer representation.

Let's Play What's My Market

I was reading an article the other day that posed an interesting question about the current market. What kind of market are we in, a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market?

As you know, the definition of a Buyer’s Market is one where there are more properties on the market than there are buyers willing to buy them. When a buyer makes an offer on a property, and the seller does not accept the offer, the buyer is likely to end negotiations and move on to another property because the market is perceived to be the land of plenty.

Is that true now? Are you looking for a particular property or type of property? Are you finding an abundance of properties that fit your profile? If the answer is no, then this is not a Buyer’s Market for you.

Conversely, a Seller’s Market is one where there is a large audience of eager buyers and limited inventory, resulting in multiple offers and a frenzy that inevitably drives up the final sale price. Believe it or not, this is happening in many areas of the country like California. Is it happening on Martha’s Vineyard and what is your view of the Martha’s Vineyard real estate market?

My opinion is that we are in a market we have never seen before. This is a bipolar or, dare I even say, a psychotic market. This is a market where the banks, lenders and appraisers control and determine the value and the fate of the market. This is also a market that depending upon the price line, location or circumstance can be a seller’s market, a buyer’s market, a lien-holder’s market, a lender’s market (there is a difference) or an appraiser’s market. Another facet of this market is what we call shadow inventories. There is an inventory of properties that are not on the market but available for sale if and/or when the market appears stable enough for those silent sellers to get their price. The banks are also holding inventory they have reclaimed through foreclosure, not so much on the Vineyard at this time, but to a great extent in other areas of the country. They are holding them until they feel they have a better chance to recoup their loss. Many of those properties were originally part of the ‘short sale’ inventory.

It would seem with prices and interest rates at historically low numbers first-time home buyers and trade-up home buyers would be running into the market and into the grateful open arms of eager sellers anxious to make a deal. Buyers should realize what a once in a lifetime opportunity they have to purchase the home of their dreams at today’s dollars and historically low interest rates. However, there is a pervasive sense of entitlement on both sides in today’s market that is preventing buyers and sellers from coming together.

Okay, so what is the problem? Ironically, as I am writing, I got my answer in a response to a conversation I am having with a seller agent regarding a buyer client who is interested in a couple of her listings. She says, “… both are pretty motivated...but these are not distress sales. We'll obviously consider any offer.” Who would put their property on the market today if they are not ‘motivated’ to sell? Ignoring the market data, sellers believe they are entitled to higher prices for their homes, and buyers believe they are entitled to even further discounts on homes that have already been heavily discounted. So once again, just like when we were children at our first dance; buyers will sit on one side, sellers will sit on the other side, both acquisitively looking at each other and missing the ‘last dance’.

Martha's Vineyard Is Now Open For The Season --- Game On!

Our high season has finally arrived with this Memorial Day weekend. Old familiar faces are reappearing in the check-out line at Cronig’s. Young impatient preppy kids with newly minted driver’s licenses driving Daddy’s Mercedes act as if they own the road. Day trippers who have no clue where they are going whiz around precariously on mopeds, and islanders who are no longer able to day dream while behind the wheel of their cars or come and go as they please in pursuit of their daily chores are snapped back into reality, reminded that their space is no longer theirs alone, at least not for the next ten weeks. The Vineyard has awakened like a huge pinball machine once a quarter is inserted. Game on!

I hope it is a wonderful summer for everyone who really loves and appreciates this Island, understands its pace and recognizes that it is one of the only places on earth where you can recharge your physiological battery, redefine your spiritual center, nurture relationships with family and friends, and just “BE”. This is a special place and I love it. Having said that, I am going to go spend time with my wonderful wife, visit with good friends, go fishing, eat some great food and just “BE”.

Another Huge Opportunity for Home Buyers

As part of the new Economic Stimulus Bill being thrashed around in the senate, and on top of the Tax Credit proposed for all home buyers allowing them a tax credit at the rate of 10% of the sales price up to a limit of $15,000, there now is Amendment 353.

Amendment 353, proposed by Senator John Ensign, Republican Senator from Nevada, would provide 30 year fixed rate financing at about 4%, for anyone purchasing a primary residence. If this passes the House and if there is more sensitivity by lenders in handling those threatened by foreclosure, we could really be on our way to recovery in the housing market.

The Private Homecare Services Program of the Vineyard Nursing Association

Extra help for Vineyard Visitors is just a phone call away!

Families vacationing on Martha's Vineyard that travel with elders, infants, or those with a disability come to the Island facing unique challenges. The Private Homecare Services Program of the Vineyard Nursing Association is here to specifically assist with these special circumstances.

Whether your loved one requires nursing attention or companion services, we are here to help.

Some of the services they provide are:

· light housekeeping and meal preparation
· assistance with getting ready for the day or getting ready for sleep
· help with daily injections and lab work
· companionship for those that are not safe or don’t feel safe alone
· babysitting or respite care

Assistance is available from 2 hours to 24 hours a day.

For more information or to arrange for services please call: 508-693-6184.

Narragansett Bay Insurance undercuts Fair Plan

In the past few years virtually all residents of Cape Cod and the Islands have been caught in the mass exodus of insurance companies from the region. Policies have been abruptly cancelled with the only option being the government Fair Plan insurance with its higher rates and deductibles. Now a company in Rhode Island is attempting to offer insurance plans that will be more affordable than Fair Plan insurance.
Follow this link to read more > Narragansett Bay Insurance

Federal Funds Rate Down Again

Today the Federal Reserve once again in less than two months lowered its target rate for the federal funds rate by a modest 25-basis-points to 4.5 percent and the discount rate to 5 percent.

In a statement announcing the Fed’s decision today, members of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee said that "after this action, the upside risks to inflation roughly balance the downside risks to growth."

Some analysts concerned that the housing downturn will lead to a recession were hoping for another 50-basis-point reduction in the federal funds rate, but the Fed has to weigh consequences such as further weakening of the dollar and inflation.

However, on Martha’s Vineyard, the mortgage market has little effect on our high-end market, because most real estate transactions are all cash.

What Consumers Want On A Real Estate Website

What information do most consumers want to know about when visiting a real estate website?

According to a survey released by the exclusive Buyer agency firm Accent Realty Group, here are the topics most searched by consumers:
1) 85.7% wanted the ability to search all homes in the area.
2) 42.9% said they wanted to know about local schools.
3) 57.1% said they wanted to know about local crime rates.
4) 28.6% said they wanted to know about tax rates.

The survey also went on to add the fact that consumers were still unfamiliar and confused about the terms “Dual Agency” and “Facilitator”.

I spent a lot of time personally creating my website and I go into great detail to educate consumers about the different types of Agency, but I still find about 50% of the potential buyers I speak with are confused or just plain suspicious. I don’t blame them because the real estate community is still playing a shell game and trying to be all things to all people. I say it can’t be done.

On my website I use the analogy of two sports teams sharing the same locker room, and the same coach. What kind of game do you think they are going to be playing? In an NAR sanctioned publication titled Agency – Choices, Challenges & Opportunities (Agent’s Guide), the definition of an EXCLUSIVE Buyer Agency reads as follows: “The practice of representing only buyers and never sellers in a transaction. The company never lists a sellers’ property and thus never has a seller as a client. Agents never accept subagency that is offered to a seller’s agent.” (Note: In Massachusetts, practically all agencies no longer offer compensation to subagents because of inherent liability.)

As if it is not hard enough for the public to understand terms like “Dual Agency”, “Designated Agency”, “Transaction Agency” or “Facilitator”, “Single Agency”, and “Buyer Agency -- with consent to Dual Agency”, many brokers are still misusing the term EXCLUSIVE in order to capture a buyer. They offer EXCLUSIVE Buyer Agency with consent to Dual Agency”. That is like saying, I’ll be married to you, but if I see someone I want to fool around with, I’ll do it. I don’t know about you, but my wife would have none of that and I am perfectly happy being her EXCLUSIVE husband. Call me what ever you like, but I prefer to keep my life simple stupid, and be respectful of consumer intelligence. I will never share the locker room with another team.

In conclusion, allow me to direct you to a wonderful article I just read and please call me if you still don’t “get it”. I create power buyers!

Follow this link to read > What Buyers Do Wrong

Can You Smell the Brownies in the Oven?

Anyone who has ever been shopping for a home has had at least one of these experiences. It’s early June and you walk into a home to be greeted by a crackling fire in the fireplace. Even before you have walked over the front door threshold, the smell of Vanilla extract is overpowering. You go to inspect the basement and six different Airwick scents chase you back up the stairs. How about the dining room table with eight place settings for a formal dinner -- and all the plates and wine glasses are dusty? Don’t for get the framed needlepoint in the family room that says ‘Home Sweet Home’.

Staging has become very popular lately. Seller agents implore their sellers to remove all the personal knickknacks and clutter, and if necessary rent new furniture, putting dad’s tattered Lazy Boy into storage along with that treadmill no one has used in years.

Even more so today, people are going to extremes ‘staging’ their homes, and you know why? It works! Sellers who stage their homes usually sell them for more money. That is why I say, buyer beware – and be aware.

The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) published an article sometime ago warning buyers of staging pitfalls. What I find interesting is the national Press picked up on it and there are still articles being written referencing NAEBA.

Follow this link to read > Don't be fooled by for-sale homes that are 'staged'

GREENSPAN SPEAK(S)

If you watched the most recent interviews with Alan Greenspan you may or may not be pleased with what you heard. As for the housing bubble, Greenspan says it is a global problem and we still have some distance to travel before the market levels off. He said, “We, unlike the rest of the world, are showing some modest price declines.” When asked if a recession was on the horizon, his answer was, “The evidence so far, is not yet. The economy at this stage, despite this fiscal problem, despite the financial problem, is still holding up.”

In hopes of slowing the downturn in the housing market and lessening the credit crunch the Fed is expected to lower federal funds rates to at least 5.0 percent; it is now at 5.25%. However, Greenspan still sees a great deal of pain ahead for those who overextended during the boom. “I think we're going to have to go through this adjustment, as indeed all the other countries are in the process of going through it. There are going to be a lot of people who will have very tragic stories," said Greenspan.

It appears Greenspan is less optimistic about the economy than he was while writing his memoir, The Age of Turbulence, and estimates the probability of a recession at just above one-third. One of the problems, according to an interview published in the WSJ is the “very large” inventory of newly built and unsold homes resulting in increased pressure on builders to sell them quickly.

Martha's Vineyard for the most part is a high-end resort and second-home market where many expensive properties are sold without need for mortgage financing. However, in order to stave off inflation in the future, Greenspan said the Fed would most likely have to raise interest rates to double-digit levels for the first time since the 80’s, but that increase period would be short lived. If you are contemplating a real estate investment on Martha’s Vineyard and need financing, I think that prediction alone is a good reason to get into the market while the rates are low.

Living On The Edge; That’s Where The Action Is

Everyone knows that living in a coastal area, be it north south or west means risking certain forces of nature. Floods have become an ever increasing threats in many parts of the country, but people still flock to river front towns even if it means living below sea level, because that is where the action is.

Earthquakes are a threat, particularly along some of the west cost fault lines, but that does not stop anyone from living in the fun in the sun state of California, because that is where the action is.

Hurricanes are a huge threat and in recent years have affected the Gulf Coast and eastern coast of Florida with devastating effects, but people still gravitate to those areas, because that is where the action is.

Living on an Island is certainly living on the edge --- or possibly over the edge, but we love it and many people dream of having a home on Martha’s Vineyard. What about the possible treat from Nor-Easters and those dreaded Hurricanes? Sure, we are always anticipating the next named storm and when it materializes we all start thinking about how to prepare for it, not having too many choices for where to run. But we love it here, because that is where the action is.

Many of my clients are not only concerned about hurricanes and the flooding associated with it, but they even have included elevation above sea level to their shopping criteria. I suppose that has to do with Al Gore and all that global warming stuff.

For Martha’s Vineyard, there seems to be some good news to report. We have had an unusually cool spring and summer and not a lot of rain so far. That means the water around us will not heat up until much later in the season. Oh yeah, the fishing has also been really good. Hurricanes thrive in warmer water, so I guess that means we can relax more than we usually do, at least according to the latest Reuters news report.

Follow this link to read more > Forecaster cuts 2007 hurricane outlook

I'm A Real Estate Buyer's Agent, And I Love What I Do.

I do not post editorials to my Blog unless I am the author, or collaborating with a colleague. However, this account of a personal real estate interaction written by a gentleman I know is so hilarious and poignant, I cannot resist sharing it.

Steve and his wife, having returned from a Sunday tour of open houses, were reflecting back on the events of the day and here is his impression of the experience.

A Buyer's Plea for Some Respect

By Steve Burnett © 2007
Reprinted by permission

Just because I don't happen to have my agent with me on this visit, doesn't mean I don't have one. Without an agent with me, we both know that your first question is likely to be, "are you working with somebody?" This really means you're trying to find out if there's any chance you can function as a dual agent and double your percentage. Or, maybe that same question is your way of determining if I'm really a serious buyer or just one of the neighbors from down the block. See those MLS sheets and Google maps in my hand? I'm not a neighbor from down the block. I'm looking to buy something. You'll see that in my eyes once you stop worrying about "establishing a dialog" or "getting to know your buyer" or when you stop asking yourself, "How can I tuck in an extra 2.5 points on this deal?"

Aside from pointing out something notable or unusual, I really don't need you to announce, "...and this is the hall bathroom..." as we tour the house. I know what bathrooms and bedrooms and kitchens look like already, thank you. Perhaps you're used to dealing in twenty-room mansions where the function or location of each room might have to be explained, but I'm just a regular guy looking for your average 3/2 suburban rancher. It's not likely I'm going to get lost or confused about what a particular room is, so save your chatter until you have something really informative to tell me.

In fact, hold your chatter, period. Unbeknownst to you, my wife and I have just flipped a coin in the car outside to determine which one of us has to take the chore of talking to you and answering all your questions so the other one of us actually gets to look at the place in a somewhat uninterrupted manner.

If you think you're going to entice me into making an offer by claiming that you have other offers coming in soon, or telling me how many other folks have seen your open house today, expect me to turn on my heel and exit your open house. Attempting to create the appearance of scarcity is so 2004. There's no point in me getting into a bidding war, real or imagined. If you don't believe that, please revisit the months-of-supply and DOM numbers for your area. Hint: I've seen those numbers!

I know what new paint looks like, and I know what old paint looks like. It's not super important for you to point out the difference, since $50 bucks at Home Depot, a few beers, and a few hours on a Saturday are all that are required for me to solve any paint issues in a room. I'd rather you let me decide what the value of such "upgrades" are. Hint: You are not going to get a few extra grand in value just because the seller took $50 bucks, a few beers, and an afternoon to slap some trendy color on the walls. Same story applies with crown molding and wainscoting. Forget what you and your sellers have seen on HGTV; you are not going to get a 10X return-on-investment for a few hundred bucks worth of DIY projects. If the basic value of the house in not there due to the number of rooms, location, or dollars per square foot, no amount of superficial "upgrades" are going to change that basic value. Conversely, if the basic value is there, I'm very prone to overlooking lime green walls, chipped tile, and a myriad of cosmetic issues.

The whole staging thing is getting really old. Does the house you live in have strategically placed bottle of wine with a pair of glasses on the patio table every night of the week? My current house doesn't, I can assure you that the only time there's a big bowl of fresh-cut flowers on the kitchen table is on Valentine's Day, or when I've made my wife mad. Normal people live in homes where the coffee table has a bunch of remotes, chewed-up dog toys and six-month old magazines. A staged house always seems to have a book of Tuscan sunsets, a bowl of teal-colored marbles, and nothing else on that coffee table. Sure, ask the sellers to tidy up a bit. But don't stage the place to the point where it's a cliché, or to a point where it's not even plausible that actual people might live in the house. Really, I'm trying to look through all the fruit bowls, cute soap bars, and other doo-dads you've carefully placed. It insults my intelligence that you think crap like that might make me want a particular property more than what I would have without the staging. In spite of what you have heard, a vacant house with no furnishings whatsoever is fine.

You know all those apple pie-scented candles in your trunk you've been packing around for each open house you do? Dump them. Put them in your own garage for the next power outage. Give them to some homeless. Do anything but use them to give potential open houses that "home" feeling. Virtually every single one of your competitors is already trying the same idea. Unless your property has dead animals underneath the floor boards, or had the living room used as an indoor kennel, there's really no scent that you can add that is going to want to make me want to buy something I wouldn't otherwise. Back to the intelligence thing: Do you honestly believe that people make large, 30-year financial commitments because they caught a whiff of punkin' pie? Don't even get me started on chocolate chip cookies or popcorn. Yes, I've read the studies about how the rational mind can be strongly influenced by scents. When you try that play, all I really smell is your desperation.

Basic literacy: FYI, the windows that you're trying to tell me about are spelled: "dual pane", not "duel pain" or duel pane". I only bring this up because I've really seen these spelling variants in many listings. Same issue with !!! $ALL CAPS DESCRIPTION$ !!!! and TXT THT LKS LK A 14YO GRL might be sending me a text message. I expect to see that kind of writing for Beanie Babies on eBay, not on a $500,000 home listing. Again, it's a mistake for you to think I might be dumb enough to give your listing any more than the usual amount of attention due to the number of exclamation points. Fact is, I'm less likely to look at such a listing because your writing skills look like you dropped out of high school and I'm not likely to trust you with such an important purchase.

It's not 2005 anymore, and buyers like me are getting back to pure fundamentals: Dollars per square foot, and location. Stuff you can't change with new paint or by "spicing up" your listing description. Remember, I'm looking at buying in a down market and maybe having to sit through a few years of little or no appreciation. You can help me by explaining how the fundamentals of your property might work for me. You can save us both some grief if you can help your seller to understand that it's not 2005 and that the next buyer is not likely going to enjoy a 20% per year price appreciation and the price should be set accordingly. Sorry, it's a new market now.

The Real Estate Shell Game

By Peter C. Fyler with editorial input from Jon Boyd, 2007 President, National Association of Exclusive Buyer’s Agents
© 2007 SplitRock Real Estate, LLC

I’m an exclusive buyer agent on Martha’s Vineyard and my job is representing buyers; that’s it plain and simple. I have no allegiance or responsibility to sellers beyond the rules of courtesy and common decency set forth in my REALTOR® and NAEBA Association Code of Ethics.

You’re a Buyer looking for your dream home, and if you do what most buyers do today, you start looking for that dream home on the Internet. You may go from one real estate company’s website to another plowing through their listings looking for that perfect property. You must be aware the listing company and all its agents represent the seller, not you. With that said, let’s take a look at the real estate shell game.

Shell #1 - Loss Leader: You see what you think is your dream home listed by company A. Excitedly, you call company A and you ask the listing agent answering the phone about the property you saw on their website. You are told apologetically, that it’s under contract to be sold or already SOLD! The agent says they were about to change the status or remove it from the website, and then they immediately suggest other properties in their inventory. Most likely this was not an accident or oversight on the part of the real estate company. In general commerce, they call this kind of advertising ‘loss leader’ or ‘bait and switch’.

Our Martha’s Vineyard Listing Information Network (LINK) provides a system of codes designed to keep information current, but LINK cannot dictate behavior to its subscribers. Not all real estate agencies ignore their responsibility to keep information current, yet many excuse themselves saying they will not change the status until the last contingency is met or even until the deed is signed. Probably more than 95% of the transactions here on Martha’s Vineyard go to record. Another excuse is to say it’s just business in a competitive market; it makes the phone ring, and perhaps the buyer could be steered to another property. Who does that benefit? It benefits the real estate company and the sellers of those properties still languishing in the unsold inventory. It does not benefit buyers like you and it frustrates buyer agents like me.

Shell #2 - Show Me the Money: Another trick is for agents in traditional real estate companies to call themselves buyer agents. At best, they are Designated Buyer’s Agents, Dual Agents or Transactional Agents better known as Facilitators. Look at real estate websites and print advertising, what do you see? You see dozens of properties advertised for sale. All of these properties are supported by seller agency written contracts and an agency commitment to get the highest price and best terms for the seller. Furthermore, advertising is very costly and therefore another incentive to get as much for the seller’s property as possible. A true buyer’s agent is always a buyer’s agent and never switches roles; they only represent people, not property. Only Exclusive Buyer Agents exhibit advanced skills in property analysis, price evaluation and negotiation. There is one more trick I want you to know about.

Shell #3 - The Meat Grinder: While you are surfing the Internet looking for your dream home, most likely you have come across some intriguing and very slick real estate websites boasting to be your number one real estate resource. Many of these companies will not let you look for an agent or review properties for sale until you fill out a complete contact information form. Even then, you may have to wait for a response with the promise that you will be contacted by the best real estate agent in your area, a real estate agent that you did not personally choose. These are not real estate companies, they are advertising companies only interested in one thing --- making money. They may even send your contact information to several “best” agents. They don’t care who or what they represent. If a real estate agent can pay the price, and it’s a steep price, these companies will send them “leads”, or display listings for them, even if those listings don’t belong to the company advertising them.

If you have ever inquired about listings on one of these websites, you most likely realized the information was quite often inaccurate or obsolete. It is all about getting the leads. As I said before, these leads are expensive, so the agent subscriber will want to recapture their advertising expense, and you can bet that will be at your expense --- the BUYER.

Another unfortunate aspect of these lead generation services is the agents that buy your contact information are often the least experienced agents in the market. Some of the companies that do this type of pay-per-lead marketing are Connect2agent, Homegain, Neighborhoodscout, Realtyconnect and Servicemagic. Many of my seasoned colleagues who have tried these services will say you gain almost nothing for the money spent. Common sense should tell you the smartest way to find the best agent or properties in the area you are interested in, is to look for a company in that area.

I've Seen It All On Martha's Vineyard

For as long as I can remember it has been a mystery to me how some home owners here on Martha's Vineyard decide to sell their family home, hire a seller's agent, agree to pay a fee and put their home on the market but never take the time to clean and fix up their home and property, not even just a little.

One would think a seller would at least fix that broken staircase to the second floor bedrooms so a prospective buyer would not have to use an outside staircase to get to the second floor living area. One would think the two Rottweilers running loose in the house would be sequestered outside when the seller's agent shows the property.

A prospective buyer coming into a house and contemplating living there needs to see through the distracting maze of stuff the home owner has accumulated over the last 30 years; they need to see themselves living in that home. They will see nothing if they are trying to dodge the growling dogs, making sure their child doesn't fall through a broken staircase, or navigate around dirty laundry strewn across the living room floor.

Staging and Feng Shui is all the buzz now, but for the most part we still ignore it on Martha's Vineyard. I guess you might say the pervasive attitude is “We’re Martha's Vineyard and we’re hot so deal with it!”

I belong to the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) and below is an article being circulated throughout the media in this country. You may get a chuckle out of it, but more importantly, if you are a seller, pay attention and give your agent and my buyer clients a break. Remember, sellers want to sell, buyers want to buy and real estate agents want to make it happen.

Buyer Beware: Skeletons in the Closet
(and Aliens in the Basement)
ARLINGTON, Va., June 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- How much do you suppose a pile of crunchy dead bugs on the basement floor will affect the selling price of a $500,000 home? How about a life-size skeleton hanging in the closet, or an open coffin in the basement with a dummy vampire inside? Or an overly-ripe kitty litter box under the kitchen table?

The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA) recently conducted an online survey of their members to rate the items they found most annoying when searching for a new home with buyers. Since these real estate companies are always looking out for the buyer's best interest they don't pull any punches. The results of the survey are revealing, surprising, and sometimes downright weird.

Here are the top five things exclusive buyer's agents find most annoying when previewing a home:

1. Broken door locks preventing access to the house.

2. Pet deposits in the back yard or dirty cat boxes.

3. Missing light bulbs in the basement.

4. Sellers that ask you to remove shoes and then have wet carpet or dirty
floors.

5. Having loose stairs on a stairway or missing banisters.

Other reported annoyances include:

6. Low hanging dining room light fixtures in a vacant home.

7. Closet doors that fall off or are not adjusted properly.

8. Going into a vacant home and hearing animals in the walls.

9. Halloween decorations that are left out.

10. Dangerous children's toys left out.

11. Dead cars in the driveway or yard.

12. Homes on large lots without a survey or description of the lot
boundaries.

13. Political signs.

14. Graffiti on a home for sale.

15. Dead birds or animals in or around the home.

It seems that many home sellers are not overly-endowed with common sense. Closet doors falling off? Dead animals in the front yard? The pitter-patter of mousy feet in the walls? Scary Halloween decorations all over the house? These should all be no-brainers. Sending buyers away disgusted or frightened out of their wits is probably not the best of business decisions. Neither is killing or maiming them with dangerous children's toys left as booby traps.

Jon Boyd, President of NAEBA, relates some of the unbelievable things he's encountered over the years when going through homes for sale. "Once I was previewing a fairly expensive home by myself. I go into the huge basement and I can't find the light switch. As I'm reaching around a corner I catch a light switch and turn it on. About 8 feet in front of me is a life-sized model of the ALIEN MONSTER LOOKING RIGHT AT ME! My heart starts beating again in a few minutes when I figure out what the stupid thing is, but whose idea was it to leave the thing there while the home is on the market?"

At another house Boyd almost became an unwitting participant in a Chaplinesque silent comedy. "I'm stepping into the basement the first time with buyers right behind me, again without good lighting. My foot hits something and when the light goes on I see I just barely missed stepping off the step onto a roller skate. I'm serious. Can you picture me flipping over onto my back like a cartoon character? If my foot had come down 2 inches to the left..."

Silliness aside, there is an important lesson here for home sellers. "In all these cases the buyer's attention is diverted from evaluating the home to something mildly disgusting or frustrating," says Boyd. "If sellers have a dead pigeon lying on the deck it will just help our buyers negotiate a better price because of less competition. But let's try to leave the skeletons and coffins for the Halloween party!"

The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents was founded in 1995 to help consumers become educated homebuyers. NAEBA is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to be the "champions of real estate buyers' rights and representation." It has over 500 members nationwide. Starting in the mid- 1990s, savvy buyers wanted the benefits of a real estate representative working for their interests exclusively. They turned to EBAs, Exclusive Buyer Agents, to do the job. NAEBA is an industry group dedicated to supporting EBAs in serving clients to the best of their ability. NAEBA offers industry standard certifications, ongoing education, client referral service, technology and information sharing. The NAEBA Code of Ethics pledges undivided loyalty to real estate buyers only. More information about NAEBA can be found at http://www.naeba.org.

Web site: http://www.naeba.org/

Not All Buyer Agents Are Created Equal

In the July 16 issue of Newsweek, there is an article outlining the benefits of using a buyer agent.

Please remember any seller’s agent can double as a buyer’s agent, but if the buyer expresses an interest in a property represented by that agent’s office, the agent can no longer represent the buyer’s best interests; they become a Dual Agent and it is in their best interest to sell in-house listings.

Exclusive Buyer Agency guarantees the buyer unconditional undivided loyalty at all times throughout the entire home buying process. Buyer advocacy requires enhanced negotiation and property evaluation skills.

Follow this link to read more > Real Estate: Call Your Agent

Cool Tool Available to Martha’s Vineyard NStar Customers

I just received a gadget that is being offered through an NStar utility partner, Blueline Innovations. It’s a wireless device that is not difficult to install or set up. Besides the ability to intelligently monitor power usage in your home, I think it can be a fun learning tool for children and the whole family to educate them about energy conservation. The Power Cost Monitor is available right now for $29.95 with a promotion code for NStar customers, BUT the price is expected to go up to $135.00US after June 30, 2007. Follow this link to learn more about the PowerCost Monitor™.

I Love Martha's Vineyard

I have lived on Martha’s Vineyard part time and full time for over 40 years, and I have seen a lot of changes --- some good and some bad. For the most part the Vineyard has still maintained its New England charm and tenor.

When I was a little boy my family summered in the Hampton's on Long Island. It was a magical part of my boyhood, but when I went back a number of years ago everything had changed.

I love these two lines from an article that appeared in The Record this past Sunday:

“Overrun? Maybe. Devine? Definitely!”

And then there was this quote:

"Southampton, eat your heart out!"

Follow this link to read about Martha’s Vineyard --- A Great Hideaway from the Rat Race

Buying A Home On Martha’s Vineyard Should Be Fun

House hunting on Martha’s Vineyard can be fun, and I make sure it is fun. However, I find many buyers new to the market get caught up in things that are irrelevant while failing to consider what’s really important. They may base their decision on a Japanese Maple tree in the front yard, the green granite counter tops in the kitchen, or the color of the carpeting in the living room. I believe it is my responsibility as an exclusive buyer representative to keep my buyer-clients focused on the big picture, even though some of that may be more sobering than joyful. Please read this report by RealEstate.com on Four Strategies to Make House Hunting Easier

All Real Estate Is Local, but that has not been the perception?

In David Lereah’s new book, “All Real Estate Is Local”, he references the investment mistakes his Grandpa made by listening to the national news instead of paying attention to ”local influences and activity” He goes on to say, “Whatever the national trends are with regard to real estate – whether they are booming or busting – what really matters is what the market conditions are in your region, town, or neighborhood.” David Lereah is Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

Starting in 2001 real estate speculation began picking up steam in certain areas of the country that were growing in popularity. These areas were primarily coastal cities on the east and west coast. It would be five years before this trend would run its course. Investors were quick to jump on board with the hope of making a quick buck -- and they did. Properties were selling before a shovel touched dirt or a hammer struck a nail. We saw this in the 80’s here on Martha’s Vineyard when the construction and housing market was out of control, but we learned from that bad experience and won’t let it happen again.

When the press started reporting the news that the Boom was over, they did so by painting a national picture of doom and gloom with a broad brush. We all listened to the reports. Prospective buyers relished the thought of getting a good deal, “a steal”, and regaining control of what had been a so-called seller’s market that had all but shut out everyone except the well-healed from the Vineyard real estate market. Sellers, on the other hand, started to panic but refused to give up their position. They fervently resisted lowering what, in most cases, were overly inflated prices based upon subjective personal opinions instead of factual market price analysis provided by seller agents.

We entered a buyer-seller standoff period where nothing was happening, except at the very top of the market. But even there activity slowed down and sales were few and far between. No one wants to overspend and appear foolish regardless of how much they are worth. The wave of panic continued to build while rolling from coast to coast, and everyone was talking about a “buyer’s market” whether the perception was true or not.

On the Vineyard, sellers continued throwing chum at the market week after week in the form of insignificant price reductions. So like any good bargain shopper, buyers continued to wait, wondering how low the market would go. Personally, from the beginning I saw this as an opportunity for a leveling of the market and never believed the negative hype as it pertained to Martha’s Vineyard. Water seeks its own level and it would just be a matter of time, I thought, before we reached that point.

All of a sudden, but not by surprise, there was a new specter looming on the horizon. Was the housing bubble about to burst? Buyers had been led to believe there was no end in sight for the hot market and prices would just continue climbing. They were drawn into a false sense of security and anticipation of assumed future gains. Greed and some very creative financing products also encouraged buyers to overextend themselves by committing to attractive short-term, low adjustable interest rate loans. This enabled them to get into the market with little or no money down. But in some areas of the country the market suddenly came to a halt and prices started to decline. Frantic buyers not wanting to lose money immediately started canceling new home sales contracts and in many cases forfeiting substantial deposits.

With prices now plummeting by double digit percentages in many popular cities, and adjustable mortgage rates going up as much as double at the first reset, many new home owners found it easier to simply walk away from their homes purchased with up to 100% financed loans they could no longer afford. This was the case in cities like Boston, Cape Cod, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Ft. Lauderdale where there had been overly zealous growth, but it was not that way throughout the entire country.

On Martha’s Vineyard the rate of appreciation was above average but not even half of what it was in the 1980’s. There were only a handful of speculators here that might have been in jeopardy. The Vineyard has always been a pricey market and that is not by accident. People who “get the Vineyard” are passionate about wanting to live here and make emotional decisions; quite often paying a premium to be part of the unique Vineyard lifestyle.

It was not only the home buyer who was affected by the slowdown in the market. Existing home owners who were courted and vigorously encouraged to take equity out of their existing homes for that dream vacation to Hawaii or that slick new Escalade were finding themselves in an unexpected upside-down or negative amortization position. The news of a threatened foreclosure glut loomed heavily on the horizon --- but once again we should have remembered --- real estate is local.

When a homeowner cannot maintain their mortgage or sell their home to save themselves, the end result is usually foreclosure and over a million home owners in the US are facing that end today. The foreclosure process begins when a borrower is over 30 days late with a mortgage payment. The lender will usually send a letter of notice to the borrower along with notification to the state’s Land Court notifying them of an action to foreclose. This does not imply a fait accompli, as most borrowers are able to work out the loan with the lender before they lose their homes. With prices continuing to decline in some areas, options have become more limited. However, in Massachusetts, the number of foreclosures is not even close to what it was in 1992. Government leaders are now calling for state and federal assistance to subsidize aide to home owners threatened with foreclosure.

Although Martha’s Vineyard is a wonderful and very special place, like all good things, greed can play a major part in pushing the envelope. We experienced a period for many years where everyone thought they had the goose that laid the golden egg. Many properties came on the market for ridiculous prices, both at the very top and at the very bottom of the market. Still, we relied upon the market to have the last word, but the astounding reality was that there was always someone who would pay the price. Today this is changing to a great extent not only because of the perception of a more level playing field or buyer’s market, but also because buyers are choosing to have their own agency representation.

So where are we today? I believe we are at a tipping point in the Martha’s Vineyard real estate market, but it will not be without a little more pain. One of my pet peeves is there are too many substandard, poorly maintained buildings of no important historic significance for sale here that have outlived their economic and functional usefulness. There is an old real estate expression, “underneath it all is the land”, and in many cases that is where the value is --- not what sits on the land. I maintain that many of the 40, 50 and 70 year old structures should be removed and replaced with more attractive energy efficient “Green” construction. Sellers have to realize they can no longer expect to get $400,000 to $500,000 for a property with a dilapidated house or unheated shack, when the value of the land is almost half of that selling price. Buyers need to realize they are not going to be able to “steal” properties. They must have confidence that if they pay a fair price for a property, they will have a solid investment that will appreciate in time, but not overnight.

We have to come to the realization on Martha’s Vineyard that this is not a buyer’s market, but an opportunity for a balanced market. A market where properties are priced fairly and sellers have realistic expectations. However, the lower to middle-end of the market is distorted because we still have a number of sellers who are not realistic or serious about selling their properties; they’re just fishing. Their perception of what their property is worth, albeit uninformed or ill-advised, overrides the facts. There are three phrases I constantly hear that always make me smile: “The seller is motivated”; “The seller doesn’t have to sell”, and “The price is negotiable”. What the heck does all that mean? Does it mean the motivated seller will accept well below market value or the non-motivated seller is firm on the price or will only accept above market value? Does anyone in the market today assume that prices are not negotiable?

The pool of qualified pre-approved buyers at the lower end or entry level of the Martha’s Vineyard real estate market is drying up. Lenders are adopting much stricter guidelines for buyers with limited resources and marginal credit. If you were pre-approved for a loan last year you may not be eligible for that same amount today. A larger down payment may be required and you will most likely not get a loan approval without verifying your income. If you are contemplating a purchase this year, save yourself disappointment and wasted time for everyone by going to a lender and getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Believe me, you are better off knowing your pocketbook will match your expectations. Negotiations are difficult enough today and being pre-approved will strengthen your bargaining position.

I’m the owner of SplitRock Real Estate, an EXCLUSIVE BUYER AGENCY and to paraphrase a statement from a REALTOR® sponsored national ad campaign, real estate is my life. I know my business; I study it and I’m passionate about it. My perspective is unique because I view the market from the buyer’s vantage point, and my goal is always to arrive at a fair deal. I will do my best to protect my buyer clients and will look after their best interests. My task is to educate and counsel my buyer clients so they can make informed decisions they will be comfortable with. I encourage you to begin or continue your real estate education at www.SplitRockRE.com .

Martha’s Vineyard is Living On The Edge

Living on Martha’s Vineyard we are all used to the threat of seasonal hurricanes and a steady flow of Nor’easters during the year. We take them pretty much in stride assuming that the weather forecasters are just creating drama and nothing much will happen. The last real storm damage anyone remembers was during Hurricane Bob and the Halloween Nor’easter in 1991. Actually the Halloween storm did more damage to the beaches and dunes than Bob did.

Once again a Nor’easter has slowly crept across the middle of the country and up the eastern seaboard hovering over the Martha’s Vineyard shoreline for days. Although the body of the storm moved out into the Atlantic, the effects of the storm are still lingering with high winds, rough seas and unusually high tides continuing an assault on our beaches and dunes. The final report card for this storm is still being written but severe errosion has been observed along the northwest coast and the Lucy Vincent Beach area.

Here is one report on the damage sustained to one of the most fragile and beautiful areas we lovingly covet and try to protect, albeit this is also viewed as a positive phenomena.

(Click here to view >) Norton Point Beach breached; crashing seas open channel

The times they are a changing --- on Martha's Vineyard

Septic Ban Points to Pond Protection is the title of a recent article in the Vineyard Gazette that outlines a new regulation affecting vacant land owners in Ocean Heights and Arbutus Park.

Water pollution is the #1 factor that’s going to limit the density and development of the Vineyard in all geographic areas. We’ve known this for years, and you don’t have to be Nostradamus to have seen it coming.

Last year the town of Edgartown implemented a “Wastewater Department Bedroom Regulation” that stated simply (?) will limit the number of bedrooms as follows: “Existing and future lots shall be allowed four (4) bedrooms for the first ten thousand (10,000) square feet of lot area.” The regulation goes on to outline guidelines for additional bedrooms, but I think you get the idea.

Our aquifer is essentially one large interconnected underground lake that supplies the entire Island and our numerous tidal ponds are very fragile. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out we’re at a tipping point. All you have to do during the summer when driving along Island byways and passing any number of these ponds is hang your head out the window of your car and sniff the air. Every year the BOH closes certain ponds at one point during the summer for recorded high fecal levels. That’s scary.

Read this article and keep in mind that buying land is going to require more than just a promise and assumption that you can build what you want on the land, even if the current zoning bylaws say you can. Rules are changing every day and I bet you’re going to see a great many lots in the Ocean Heights area coming on the market at fire sale prices, or being purchased by one buyer, combined, engineered and offered for sale anew at premium prices. I know of one group of lots in that area right now, not in MLS, available for $750,000.

Click here to follow link > Septic Ban Points to Pond Protection

Lodging Tax will effect Martha’s Vineyard Vacation Rental Homes

I’m an exclusive buyer broker on Martha’s Vineyard, so I don’t list property for sale. I also don’t handle any rental properties. Recently I received emails from several of my clients and Island neighbors expressing their amazement and supreme displeasure with a proposed bill that would levy a 5% hotel/motel room tax on all private rentals and timeshares.

This seems to me like an outrageous idea, especially because Martha’s Vineyard has always been a vacation destination and not everyone can afford to own a home here. Most Island lovers that find a way to own their dream home on Martha’s Vineyard do so by offsetting their expenses by renting a portion of the year. Only a very small percentage uses their properties like “temporary hotels”. According to a recent article in the Cape Cod Times, “homes, apartments, condominiums and timeshares that are rented for 90 consecutive days or less” would be subject to the proposed tax. According to this legislative mindset, “private homeowners will simply pass the tax on to the visitors. And if the tax is applied equally across the state, visitors will not head to the Berkshires instead of the Cape.” That may all sound well and good, but when you take into consideration the average vacation stay is two weeks with weekly rates starting at about $2,500 with many rentals close to beaches and towns priced well over $4,500 a week, and even into the tens of thousands, this is going to be a very hefty tax. Rental agencies charge between 10% and 20% for their services and most of them really earn it. So, you have to add that into the mix.

The article puts forth the claim that “what’s particularly unfair is that the people who rent these private homes still demand all the services that residents deserve, such as beach and road maintenance and police and rescue, but are paying no taxes to support the local services”. But they don’t take into consideration that these people pay their taxes just like year round residences; however, they don’t occupy their homes for as long as six months out of the year.

Here’s the Cape Cod Times article being referenced along with Chapter 64G under Title IX. Taxation. The proposed amendment to this law reads as follows:

“SECTION 1: Chapter 64G shall be amended by adding the following section:

“Section 13. Any city or town which accepts or has accepted the provisions of section 3A of this chapter may, by a separate vote, accept the provisions of this section and expand the imposition of said room occupancy excise tax to include other transient accommodations. Other transient accommodations is defined as any vacation or leisure accommodation, including but not limited to apartment, single or multiple family housing, cottage, condominium and timeshare unit, which is rented to occupants for a period of ninety consecutive days or less regardless of whether such use and possession is as a lessee, tenant, guest or licensee.

“For the purposes of this section, any definition in section 1 of this chapter, where the terms “room or rooms in a bed and breakfast establishment, hotel, lodging house or motel” are used shall be deemed to include the term, “other transient accommodations”

“In the case of transient accommodations, the owner of the apartment, single or multiple family housing, cottage, condominium or timeshare unit, shall be responsible for assessing, collecting, reporting, and paying over the tax and reporting as described for operators in sections 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7A, and shall be liable in the same manner as operators in section 7B.”

Have We Seen the Last of Real Estate Markdowns?

I realize the Boston market is not Martha’s Vineyard, so the demographic ingredient of people moving out of Massachusetts doesn’t affect our market. However, I think you will find the speculative forecasts given by three diverse professionals -- an economist, an architect and a real estate broker, to be interesting.
(Click here to view >) Market continues a slow adjustment

A Look Back at the Real Estate Market on Martha’s Vineyard

Now that 2006 is just a memory, and for some not a very pleasant memory, we look forward to what 2007 holds in store. Will it be more of the same or a better year for real estate and the economy? Employment still remains high and unemployment benefit claims have been stable for the last few months despite troubles in the manufacturing sector precipitated by the fall off in auto sales and the continued slow down in the housing market. Interest rates peaked midyear and appear to have settled as the Fed continues to hold steadfast in hopes of keeping inflation in check.

Sales of new homes are up, prices of used homes are starting to inch up again and the bloated inventory is starting to deflate, albeit very slowly. In a recent article in the Vineyard Gazette several friends of mine were interviewed for an article titled “Median Home Prices Fall on Vineyard as Real Estate Market Begins to Stall”. I find the title laughable as we have been stalled for quite some time and only within the last few months has activity begun to pickup again as we appear to have reached a floor in the market, shaky as it may be. The media continues to hype the housing bubble giving most buyers uncertain pause as they don’t want to be foolish and enter the market prematurely. Everyone is waiting for that magic sign from above that will say, “Start your engines”.

I think the important points are prices have finally come down slightly and the inventory is up despite the fact that those numbers are going to be confusing and will require thoughtful interpretation. The middle range that Ms Purdy is discussing has always been the softest area in the market, regardless of how strong or weak the market has been. I still maintain that this is an excellent time to buy if you’re prepared to be patient and negotiate strategically. If sellers believe nothing is going to happen for another 6 to 8 months, don’t you think they will be more receptive to negotiation than if they knew better days were only weeks away? More inventory means more competition and more choices for buyers, and that’s a good thing. Furthermore, if we accept the idea that potential buyers are going to rent until they are comfortable enough to purchase, this creates a strong opportunity now for anyone buying an income property. Normally I don’t recommend factoring income potential into financing a property. However, at this time it appears all signs point toward a very strong rental market for 2007. When clients ask me if I think they could rent the property they’re interested in I tell them, “You can rent a tool shed here for $600.00 a week”.

Another important point to make note of is home prices are not out of line comparing other areas on the Cape, the North Shore and South Boston area; it’s the wages that are out of line related to the cost of living on Martha’s Vineyard. If you compare the same jobs on-Island and off-Island, the wages are lower here and that’s driving a majority of the year-round labor force away. We’re returning to more of a second home and retirement market, the way we were back in the 1960’s.

Finally, if you are wondering about foreclosure opportunities, as Chris Wells said, the delinquency rate has not increased. A mortgagor usually has to be 90 days out before a bank considers starting a procedure. All our local banks are pleased to say they have nothing currently on their radar. I also look at foreclosure reports and the properties I see usually work out. Banks are very eager to do business and are introducing products to help prospective buyers. One such product regaining favor with buyers who cannot afford the average down payment is the PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) mortgage. This will replace the ARM piggyback loans that were so popular when interest rates were historically low and stabile. Ask your banker.

We’re Martha’s Vineyard, We Can Afford It.

In the 70’s, the electric company, called ComElectric, promised everyone electricity was the most economical source of heating energy. They offered incentives to encourage consumers to install electric heat in homes, and baseboard electric heat was and still is the least expensive heating system to install.

Electric heating costs went through the roof in the 80’s while ComElectric became one of the most profitable utility companies, according to the stock dividends they paid. Today with the price of fuel oil and natural gas at record highs, the price of electricity hasn’t seemed out of line, however, NStar has decided Rates will go up on Martha’s Vineyard, while they go down for Boston Edison customers.