Friday, May 15, 2009

Hoover Real Estate

When Is a Real Estate Agent a REALTOR®?
A real estate agent is a REALTOR® when he or she becomes a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, The Voice for Real Estate®, the world's largest professional association. The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and abides by its strict Code of Ethics.
Founded in 1908, NAR has grown from its original nucleus of 120 members to more than 1 million today. NAR is composed of REALTORS® who are involved in residential and commercial real estate as brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others who are engaged in all aspects of the real estate industry.
Members belong to one or more of 1,700 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of REALTORS® and can join one of our many institutes, societies, and councils. Additionally, NAR offers members the opportunity to be active in our appraisal and international real estate specialty sections. REALTORS® are pledged to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
Working for America's property owners, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® provides a facility for professional development, research, and exchange of information among its members.Check out the Public Awareness Campaign television and radio spots that encourage consumers to rely on the expertise and integrity of REALTORS®.Now in its ninth year, the NAR advertising campaign runs February through November on network and cable television and network and satellite radio. This year's commercials help consumers understand the real value of working with REALTORS®. From their voluntary adherence to a Code of Ethics to their incomparable knowledge of real estate processes, REALTORS® are the experts of residential and commercial property transactions.

PROUD MEMBER
ROD HICKS
WEICHERT, REALTORS ACCESS REALTY
205 222 3500

Monday, May 11, 2009

Hoover Real Estate

Persist With Passion Until the Desired Results are Attained. If your trying to sell or buy a home do what it takes to get the desired results.

Rod Hicks
Weichert, Realtors Access Realty
205 222 3500

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Hoover Real Estate

Daily Real Estate News May 6, 2009

Five Maintenance Issues Owners Shouldn't Ignore Consumer Reports magazine advises home owners not to put off important maintenance projects, noting that waiting until the economy rebounds could end up making the repairs more costly while putting a family's health at risk. The magazine identifies five crucial maintenance issues:
Check the gutters: Clogged gutters, broken fasteners and separations where the gutters meet the fascia board will lead to roof leaks if they haven’t already.
Inspect the roof: Cracked, curled and mussing shingles mean a roof is nearing the end of its useful life. Cracks around chimneys, skylights, and roof valleys can also suggest the roof might be leaking.
Look for bugs: Termites and carpenter ants can bore through a home in a few short years. Probe the sill plate on top of the foundation with a screwdriver to check for rotten wood. Also look for carpenter ants and termites along windowsills and walls.
Avoid mold: Mold and mildew can cause musty odors, dank air, and make residents sick. Check under carpets and around windows for visible mold or mildew.
Don’t ignore cracks: Foundation cracks wider than 3/16 of an inch can be a problem. These require examination by a structural engineer. Source: Consumer Reports (05/04/2009)

Rod Hicks
Weichert, Realtors Access Realty
205 222 3500

Monday, May 4, 2009

Hoover Real Estate

Daily Real Estate News April 28, 2009

Housing Analysts Predict the Bottom Is Near The bottom of the housing decline is near, predicted analysts and home builders attending the National Association of Home Builders’ semiannual Construction Forecast Conference last week.Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com, facetiously picked a date when home prices would stop falling: Dec. 15, 2009. Other observers weren’t so precise, but they did generally agree that the federal government’s efforts to shore up the market would take effect by the end of 2009 or early in 2010.Analysts also predicted that consumers will spend less on remodeling. Eric Belsky, executive director at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, predicted that spending on remodeling would fall 12.3 percent by the end of this year compared to last.Analysts project that the credit crisis will loosen, although people with blemished credit records may continue to have trouble getting mortgage loans.Source: The Wall Street Journal, June Fletcher (04/24/2009)

ROD HICKS
WEICHERT,REALTORS ACCESS REALTY
205 222 3500