Magically Delicious

They stole me lucky charms! Not really, but I've always wanted to say that. I'm feeling Irish this morning, and yes my last name is Johnson, but we have a long storied Irish lineage on my mother's side. In fact, we have a coat of arms and at one time had a castle. But I'm not trying to brag or boast but rather say yes I'm a Johnson but I'm Irish as well doggonit. But I digress. Back on ST. Patricks Day, my son and his girlfriend, Lesli, and I all decided to go hear some authentic Irish music. Our quest led us to Fenian's Irish Pub in Conklin, Michigan. Now Conklin is an old farming town,where my father in law Roger Doane grew up, made up of a couple of churches, a grain elevator, and a world famous Irish Pub. Yes, I said world famous. Some of Ireland's best performers have, and still are performing at this little pub in the middle of nowhere. That night the three of us fell in love with the people and atmosphere of this place. Everyone was so friendly and the music was great from a group of local musicians.
Last night, Wednesday April 28th, we returned and this time my wife, Cherie, accompanied us. We wanted to do something special with Lesli who just finished attending Grand Valley State University. We remembered that Fenian's on Wednesdays always has an Irish Jam session. This session is open to any musician who wants to show up and play.
So, we went in time to eat there and they had a special of the night: Guinness Beef Stew. I didn't feel that brave so I had fish and chips. The jam session started at 7pm and it was literally people sitting at the tables at the front of the pub. They would do a tune, take time out for a pint, and then launch into another song. Also, a couple of enjoyable treats thru the evening is when one person in the pub would break into an accapella song and the whole pub would sing the chorus. It truly was a magically delicious evening.
I wholeheartedly recommend that if you enjoy Irish Folk Music, fun people, and life to it's fullest you need to visit Fenians. Here is their website for you to visit: www.feniansirishpub.com
Tell them an old, bald leprechaun sent ya.

Wow, You Can Do That?

Why yes, yes I can. Yes I can offer a 60 day home sale guarantee. Because, I'm posititve that with my experience, our team's experience, and our unique marketing plan that we will sell your home. Right now that is quite a bold statement. Especially as the tax incentives run out. But home values are going to still decrease for at least another year so the market is still going to be there for the buyer looking for a good deal. Interest rates are already starting to rise but a well informed consumer will find that home ownership is still attainable and affordable. How do you become a informed consumer? By selecting an agent who will talk straight with you, keep you informed as to what is going on in the market, and connect you with a lender who will do what's best for you.
There is still a large supply of homes in our area with the best bargains to be had in the Wyoming area, and near the "medical mile" downtown Grand Rapids. I also have access to many homes that have not been publicly advertised for sale as of yet.
Foreclosures and short sales will still be a large part of our market this year as analysts predict 50% more foreclosures this year. These unfortunate circumstances can lead to fortunate circumstances for a savvy buyer.
Just remember that working with a professional realtor will always be a benefit to you financially and personally.

Realtor of the Stars

I'm adding a new title to my resume. "Realtor of the Stars". My kids think I'm making some sort of Star Trek reference, they think I'm a "trekkie" for some reason, and my wife thinks it makes me sound aloof or uppity. Let me set the record straight. I AM the realtor of the stars. And those stars are the everyday people who raise families, go to work, pay the bills, and somehow make it through this life realitivly unscaythed. Look at what we do, everyday, just to have our part of the American dream. We work hard, usually for someone else, we find ways to make our money stretch for groceries, utilities, and various other things that are associated with everyday living. And then, if you have children, there's the things like music lessons, special baseball shoes, dance outfits, items for school, and med center fees for scraped up knees and elbows. The great thing is that overall we accomplish these things with the resources available to us. Most of us will never have sports star or movie star money but we get by okay in this life, thank you.
Those things to me make stars. The people who can accomplish all of these things and still be able to keep their heads above water are the real stars in this world. So, yes I am the Realtor of the Stars because that's exactly who you are.
The tax credit is set to run out in a couple of weeks but there is still time to take advantage. Call me at 616-719-8680, or go to www.DavidJohnsonsRealty.com, to contact me. There are great bargains to be had in housing. Especially in Wyoming, Grandville, and Jenison.
Take care and have a great day all of you stars!

MAN BITES DOG: GETS NEW HOUSE!

A lot of people and news outlets have been going on and on about how bad things are, especially in the housing market. You would almost think that they were a pack of wild dogs circling us, keeping us down with their negative energy and thoughts. But here is the reality: things aren't all that bad. Yes, there are a lot of people unemployed, and a lot of people upside down in their mortgages, but there are still a lot of people who can get that dream home they have been looking for. Did you know that right now you can get a mortgage with a credit score of only 620? That's pretty low. And did you know that you can still get no money down mortgages? Also, did you know that interest rates are still at 5% or just a little above?
Don't let those dogs nipping at your heels keep you down. Bite Back! Achieve the American dream of home ownership. Take advantage of those tax credits while you still can. There are some unbelievable bargains on homes in the area. Wyoming and Grandville have some great homes at great prices for sale. Also, lots of great deals around the Medical Mile downtown, as well as the Kentwood area. Let's put a muzzle on those dogs barking doom and gloom!
If you are comteplating buying or selling you need to talk to a realtor who is educated on what is going on in the market and willing to take some time to explain it to you and how it can benefit you. Call me and I promise you will see the difference in using a professional realtor.

Clueless Agents

I guess I'm going to be a little brutal this morning, but I hope no one takes offense. Because when it comes right down to it, it's your money and time we're talking about here.
At our morning meeting today we discussed how it seems that most real estate agents aren't taking the time to educate their buyers and sellers about what is going on. One particular instance was a realtor put an offer on a home, for some clients, that was $20,000 less than the listing price. Now the offering agent had did his homework and found that comparable homes in that area were selling for the amount that they offered. The listing agent said they would not even consider the offer because it was too low. Now conventional wisdom says that they should of, at least, made a counter offer. But no, they didn't even do that. Obviously this agent was more concerned about getting the listing for these peoples home than he was educating them to the point where they could sell their home. Too many agents are worried about having listings more than they are worried about what's doing best for the people they represent.
I take pride in knowing that when you hire me I will show you with third party material about what is happening. According to the experts, our current home values are going to drop another 10 to 20%, and not get back to where they are right now until May of 2013. Home values will not get back to where they were in 2006 until 2023 at the earliest. If you want to know the specifics as to why this happened I will be happy to share that information with you. Just call me.
If you need to, or want to, sell your home you need to hire a professional agent that will not play games, fill you full of false hope, or promise you pie in the sky that can't be delivered.
On a brighter note, I really enjoyed the commercial shoot yesterday. The commercial will be seen on ESPN, TNT, & WXMI to name just a few. Look for a balding, shiny head in the back.
Take care everyone and have a great day.
Dave Johnson
Your Real Estate Expert

If You're Buying or Selling You Need A Realtor. A Good Realtor.

I've come across people who were either buying a home or selling a home who have said that they did not want to work with a Realtor. Fine. I can accept that in some cases. I've also come to learn that almost everyone says that they know someone who is a Realtor. Well fortunately, and unfortunately, realty is just like every other profession. You have the people who take it seriously and work hard at it and you have the people who treat it like a hobby. Let me tell you what makes a good Realtor and why you need one. A good Realtor is going to educate you about the whole process. From what the market is doing to what the steps will be to buy that dream home or sell your current one. A good Realtor will be prepared with third party material and statistics to back up what they're telling you. A good Realtor will lay out their marketing plan for selling your home. A good Realtor will connect you with a lender who will educate you on the mortgage process and provide you with a list of all the expenses you can anticipate including closing costs and other fees. A good Realtor will be in constant communication with you so you will always know where you are in the process.

As most of you know, several years ago I worked with a company that taught Brokers and Realtors how to make more money. The number one thing we would tell them was to communicate with their clients. People want to know what is going on. If they have hired you as their representative they have a right to know what you're doing for them. It only makes sense.

That's why there is no doubt in my mind that no one will work harder than me to sell your home or find the home you want to buy. I will lay out for you our approach to marketing your home and getting the best price possible. I will educate you on the process every step of the way so you will completely understand what is going on. I also can reccommend lenders who will educate you on the mortgage process. And, I promise that you will hear from me quite often until our mission has been accomplished.

Right now is still a great time to get that first home or move up in the market. We can still align you with mortgage professionals who can offer you mortgages with no money down. The $8000 tax credit for new home buyers is still there for a short time. We also have access to foreclosed homes that have not hit MLS listings yet. This means that we can get a jump on those homes before most Realtors even know they're out there.

If I can help in any way, or you are ready to see what you can do, please contact me at either: 616-719-8680 or at DavidJohnson@realtyexecutives.com.

I Wish I Was A First Time Home Buyer

Yes, I really do wish I was a first time home buyer. Never in our history has it been a better time to buy your first home. With the current depreciation of homes your buying power has never been better. Current home values are as much as 40% less of what they were 4 short years ago. There is also what's known as a "buyers market" going on right now. In other words, you are in the drivers seat as far as what you want in a home and what you would like to pay. There is some bad news though. The $8000 government assistance for first time home buyers will expire at the end of April. With this assistance the government is basically paying your first year of house payments! Also, according to industry sources like Morgan Stanley, interest rates will be rising at the end of March. Morgan Stanley predicts that they will rise to at least 8% while other industry companies are predicting at least 7%. That's why now is the time to buy that first home.
Did you know that 3 years ago there were over 4000 realtors in our area? Last year that number dropped to 1800! Of that 1800 half, 900, only sold 2 homes the whole year. Our team sold over 70 homes in the same time span. Our team has over 45 years of experience and will use that knowledge to market and sell your home. So, if you want to buy that first home, or buy another home, or want to sell your property you need to contact me at 616-719-8680.