Travis A Martinez, Real Estate Consultant

Whether you are a FSBO or have an agent there are a few things you can do before a showing to make you house more appealing.  Probably the most basic is open the windows.   Natural light is so much better on the eyes.  Get rid of the clutter.  Throw dirty laundry in the washer (not to wash but to hide, you can sort and ...

As many of you may be aware, the President signed the Housing Stimulus Package last week.  What does this mean for you? Well if you are a first time homebuyer this could mean that you get a $7,500 tax credit.  If you are a FHA buyer this increases your loan limits.  If you are in Foreclosure this new law could provide for some ...

One of the most common mistakes in real estate is having pictures too dark.  I have even seen real estate agents make this mistake but most of the time it is done by a For Sale By Owner (FSBO).  A dark picture, besides having less detail, gives a gloomy feel of the home, or even worse gives the impression that the home does not have ...

The prevailing interest rate is often referred to as the "cost of money."  Or more simply put the amount that you have to pay to use someone else's money.  Typically long tern money (30 year mortgages) is more expensive then short term (10 or 15 year mortgages) money.  Another way of looking at this is as an ...

This weekend was not only beautiful it was a furry of activity.  There was the Spring Fair at the Fairgrounds, lots of yard work to do, and yeas even people looking at property.  Not only did I show property to some buyers that I have been working with, but I also got some activity on my listings.  By activity I not only mean ...

In an effort to give my clients the best marketing service for their home I have stumbled upon the newest thing in home marketing.  VIDEO TOURS.  Rather than a panoramic still photo that we use as a virtual tour (View an Example Here), this is like using a camcorder to do a walk through of the house.  This gives more of a first ...

When I go to list a home or a piece of property for sale I give my client a window that I recommend that they list their property at, for example $435,000 - $450,000.  Of course I fully expect that most of them list in the upper proportion of my window.  I would do the same thing in their shoes and expect that the home would ...

In an effort to advertise better then my competition I have a new strategy that I am looking for feedback on.  I have a few listings and have developed a good relationship with my clients.  I would offer an incentive if they would put a window sticker that said "My property listed by Travis Martinez."   They would ...

I was a little appalled this morning when watching the Today show that they had a gentleman that said "Don't you dare buy now!"  He was a TV personality that you often see on shows like CNBC's Mad Money,  he was also the co-founder of TheStreet.com, Jim Cramer.  He obviously has a background in investing in Wall ...

Whether you have your home listed or you are a FSBO the showing is the most important part of the home selling process.  I am getting ready to take some clients out to look at homes so I don't have a lot of time to post but here is a quick tip that might come in handy.  Put a couple of drops of vanilla in a preheated oven.  ...