I was just elected MLS President

After serving our our MLS board for a few years, I was elected President this past week. I am very proud to serve that position and I hope this year to bring many new technology products to our board members.

The first convention that I will attend will be the NAR Convention in Washington D.C. this Spring and that is always a great convention for the MLS as that is where we see all the new products to enhance our business.

I lived in McLean, VA in the 60's while my Dad was stationed at the Pentagon so it is always fun to go back and try to fit in a little sightseeing also.

This will be a special trip for me too as my Dad passed away last year and while I was able to attend his Memorial Service I could not go to the burial at Arlington National Cemetery so I will get to visit his site this Spring. I know it will be an emotional time for me but something that I really want to do.

The real estate market in El Paso, TX started off with a bang and hopefully it will continue that way.

I understand that some of the FHA rules are going to be changed and I hope we can put a stop to that as Realtors as that will really hurt the FHA market in El Paso, TX. If they go to 5% as a down payment that will put many El Paso buyers right out of the market.

If you are a Realtor and reading this please send an email to your Congressman or woman and ask them to vote to not change the 3.5% down payment that is already in place. We need to keep the housing market strong and see it that can help to get this economy back on track.

The Rental Market in El Paso, TX

The rental market in El Paso is pretty strong right now. Almost every day we get calls from people that are looking to rent instead of buy for various reasons. Some of them want to rent first and then buy when they get a better feel for the city and some want to rent because they can not buy with the new lending requirements.

El Paso's real estate market is going to be a good one for investors now becasue of the lending changes. Investor loans are not that bad right now and some lenders have investor loans in the high 6% rate with 20% down.

There are alot of homes on the market that would make great rentals in El Paso and the rent rates are fairly good for investors.

Be sure to call a top real estate agent in El Paso for information on investing in El Paso, TX

Let's Help the People in Haiti

Wow, to wake up one morning and have everything you own be gone! I can not imagine what that must feel like but I know that some of you reading this may have been through Katrina and some of the other awful hurricanes that have hit the United States recently and I know you understand what it must feel like for the people of Haiti.

I hope that all the help that is being sent will get there quickly and on the news it looked like some of the airplanes had landed this morning so I know there is much more to come and I hope we all learned from Katrina what was wrong and have fixed it by now.

There are all sorts of help lines and links and numbers to text to so I am not going to do that here but just ask that everyone that reads this send some sort of donation to the Red Cross or text on your phone and help out.

One never knows where tragedy will strike and only by God's fate are we not in the same place.

I finally went to the Restaurant 2900

What a great dinner I had the other night at 2900 in El Paso, Texas.

Super atmosphere, great wait staff ( really focused on the details) and the food was fantastic.

I was there with a group of El Paso Realtors and Bill Jones from the Texas Association of Realtors-he was teaching our leadership class the next day.

I had the Butternut Squash soup and the Sea Scallops and they were so tasty and cooked just right-tender and juicy.

The table split about 4 desserts but my favorite one was one that had Amaretto in it and it was to die for...

Don't pass up 2900, you will be sorry if you do!

Leadership Class in El Paso

Bill Jones from the Texas Association of Realtors held a Leadership Class to day at the Greater El Paso Association of Realtors for current and new people in leadership roles.

It was a great class, I have taken it a few time before but I always learn something new to bring to our MLS Board.

Real Estate in El Paso, Tx has really picked up since Christmas. All the agents that I talked to today have been alot busier and I personally have written and have had accepted 3 contracts in the 1st week of the new year.

I am showing a home tomorrow and a rental unit and doing a listing presentation on Monday and Tuesday. Who said a Realtor in El Paso is not busy?

I have been a busy little bee

Well I worked over the New Years holiday (thank goodness) and I guess it was for the good becasue I wrote 2 offers (one has been accepted and the other one should be today) and I got an offer in that has been accepted on one of my listings.

YEAH that is a great way to start the new year and I just hope that
real estate in El Paso, TX continues the same way all through the year!

All of my buyers are pre approved so I don't have to worry about any of my deals falling through becasue of loan problems. I am not sure why anyone would work with a buyer that is not pre approved in today's market.

My first buyers were from California and they are buying a home for thier Mom. What a delightful family they are and it is nice to see such devotion to thier Mom. We had alot of fun looking at homes and we even went to Chico's Tacos in El Paso one day for lunch. They had never been there and it is still one of my favorite places.

My second buyer is a single woman that has been looking for awhile and finally the right home came along and she made an offer and after some countering it was accepted.

I will keep you posted on what this El Paso Realtor is up to and how our market fares. I would love to hear about yours.

What will 2010 bring to El Paso

I guess all Realtors in El Paso, TX are wondering that. I know that is a pretty loaded question.

The real estate market in El Paso,Texas is not as bad as people think.

I had an offer presented on one of my listings last night and it was about $30,000 short. Needless to say the seller was not happy with the offer so they countered back. The other agent told me that the buyer said "its a buyers market" so they should be happy with the offer. They offered low becasue they wanted the sellers to replace carpet with hardwood floors! While it is a buyers market in El Paso that does not mean that all sellers are giving away their homes.

A buyers market in El Paso usually means that there are alot to choose from but if the homes are priced correctly they usually sell very close to list price and in alot of cases sellers are helping with closing costs.

I don't know if this one will work or not but some buyers have to make a few offers before they realize that El Paso is not like the rest of the country as far as real estate is concerned.

I guess the best analogy is that real estate is sort of like the weather and is very regional. If it is zero in New York and snowing that does not mean that it will be the same in El Paso and in fact it would probably be sunny and around 60!

Hope all the real estate in El Paso, Texas will be great next year.