Lynn Thomas Homes Blog
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Snow Day 2009!
It's a snow day! It's beautiful! We have no electricity, and we're having a blast!
So, we're shoveling snow and moving branches out of the roadways. We met some new friends and had some great conversations. I like what Jonny Mac said about this snow storm. He loves God because he sees this as His way of slowing us all down. I will say the trees glisten with ice look absolutely breathtaking.
Lynn and Perry Thomas spent the Christmas Holidays thinking about how to increase their wealth during these uncertain economic times. They began by integrating reality. "OK", they reasoned, "Home purchase prices are low. Interest rates are low. Those combined signal a great opportunity to purchase Real Estate. We don't have any more interest in being landlords at this time. The obvious chose then is to purchase properties at a bargain price then sell them at a profit." That's how our idea of flipping property in 2009 was born.
Keller Williams is Closer to Completion
The Keller Williams sign went up on Hurstbourne Lane Tuesday. The glass doors went in today.We carried half the furniture in today as well.
Neither Snow nor Sleet will Keep Lynn Thomas off her Feet
Right in the middle of Louisville Kentucky getting blanketed with over 8" of snow, Lynn Thomas is getting this house on the market no matter what the cost!
4115 Bolling Brook Dr in Louisville Kentucky went on the real estate market today in the most strenuous of circumstances.
This gorgeous 4 bedroom 2 1/2 bath traditional style home boasts 2780 square foot of living space.
The home is less than 2 years old and can be yours for $299900.
Keller Williams Realty Louisville East is Further Toward Completion
Enjoy the Tour as Keller Williams Louisville East Gets nearer completion.
Beautiful Condo Under Contract!
10402 Southern Meadows Drive #302 Louisville Kentucky 40241 went under contract March 3rd 2008.
This condo is an absolute doll with 2 bedrooms and 2 baths at 1083 square feet. This 3rd floor condo has vaulted ceilings and a fireplace in the Great Room.
The condo went on the Real Estate Market February 21st. The property sold in less than two weeks. The seller was shocked with 15 other listings in Worthington Glen at comparative prices that theirs sold so quickly.
Once again, the Lynn Thomas Real Estate team working out of Keller Williams Louisville East in Louisville Kentucky sold another home in Kentucky bringing the most amount of money for the Seller in the least amount of time. Way to go team! |
Home Under Contract!
14604 Dominick Michael Drive Located in Louisville Kentucky went on the Real Estate Market January 30th 2008.
Less than 30 days later on February 27th 2008 Dominick Michael went under contract.
This is unusual for a home in Louisville Kentucky listed for $975,000.00 to sell so quickly. But, due to the skill and expertise of Lynn Thomas and her highly motivated team of Realtors, it happened to the delight of both the team, the sellers and the buyers. The sellers are grateful to be moving on with their lives so quickly. The buyers are thrilled with the home and can't wait to move in.
It really is another win-win situation for everyone working with the Lynn Thomas Real Estate Team and the Keller Williams Louisville East office on 1230 South Hurstbourne Pkwy suite 100 in Louisville Kentucky 40222.
Another Home Under Contract!
8103 Bentbrook Place located in Peewee Valley Kentucky just went under contract February 27th 2008.
The house hit the real estate market on January 23rd 2008 at a list price od $399,900.
The owners are thrilled they sold this beautiful 5 bedroom 4 bath house that sits on an unbelieveably georgeous lot.
It's another amazing job well done for Lynn Thomas and the Lynn Thomas Real Estate Team. This listing makes the seventh home sold for the team in February. Way to go team!
Keller Williams Family Reunion Red Bash
Market projections at Keller Williams Family Reunion
The first day of family reunion in Atlanta Georgia was pretty amazing. After getting to see some features comming out in Top Producer 8i, we went to see Gary Keller and Dave Jenks talk about the current state of the economy and the housing market. Gary Keller is a self proclaimed realist. There wasn't anything flowery about what he had to say. I will say he and his staff poured over mountains of data to explain and interpret numbers that will equip us to thrive in this current market. In a nutshell; we will be in a buyers market for some time. The market needs more time to correct as housing prices are still too high nationally. This greatly affects affordability. We need to streamline our businesses, focus and work hard to stay in the game.
KW East Plans For Family Reunion
The greatest minds currently in the Real Estate business in Louisville Kentucky gathered today to plan our we as we head to the greatest conference ever. Keller Williams international presents Family reunion Atlanta 2008. We can't wait.
Perry wore his red KW shoes. He modeled them, ran and Danced in them. We talked about where we'll meet for dinner, how to find what classes to go to. We put people together who need to share hotel rooms. We can't wait.
We voted on what we want to wave during the Red Bash. The Red Bash is a huge party where all the Keller Williams Agents in the world, wear red cloths, listen to amazing music and eat great food. There is a fiesta atmosphere at the red bash. We get really silly. We wave cheap things in the air. We scream at the top of their lungs. Go Louisville!
Keller Williams Realty Louisville East Under Construction
To most people, this may look like a run-of-the mill construction site. To those of us agents growing our Real Estate Businesses under the Banner of Keller Williams, it looks like a dream come true.
Keller Williams Louisville East Went Under Construction January 24th 2008. We want to be finished with the buildout on March 1st 2008.
Meanwhile we are meeting in a temporary Space across the hall. That's where we gather to hand in our contracts, meet with our broker and get weekly updates of our progress. I've heard it said,"happy families grow up in small houses." It's true. We are having so much fun right now in our little temporary space. It's such a blast.
Lynn and Heidi speak at GLAR
Lynn Thomas and Heidi Fore sat alone together in the front of the room at the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors event of the monthly coffee round table Friday February 1st 2008 to a packed house. Once they started the program, latecommers found themselves in a standing room only venue. There were no more seats. Both women represented Keller Williams with excellence.
Once they were asked questions about how they marketed their listings, Heidi began detailing her system. Lynn added her approach. What was most noticeable was though Lynn and Heidi work at the Same company, and are obvious good friends, their syles of marketing and approach to their buisnesses differ.
They were both frank and honest about their differing styles and both seem to be very comfortable with how they run their businesses. They are obviously both successful and their styles fit what they do. "That's they beauty of it", said Lynn, "there is no one right way to do it. You can take the way you are and do it that way and it works."
What they had in common was the intensity in how they work. They both bend over backwards to serve their clients. They obviously care about them and their businesses. It was inspiring to hear them talk about their marketing. There were so many great ideas they offered it was tough to write it all down. Then the audience offered ideas of what they do and the room became an exciting atmoshere of open forum and ideas. I'm glad I didn't miss it and I can't wait to see the next one.
Jacki and Jerry Shafer
Our good friends Jacki and Jerry Shafer (pictured with Tony Dicello at a Keller Williams conference we went to in Columbus Ohio) are some of our favorite friends in the world. They work with us in Keller Williams and are helping us open the new Keller Williams East office on Hurstborne Lane in Louisville Kentucky. The new address for that office is 1230 S. Hurstbourne Lane suite 100 Louisville Kentucky 40222.They were recently on a radio show that was talking about the current real estate market and they came on and did an EXCELLENT job talking about Keller Williams and what it's like to work there. Their entire segment was about Keller Williams and the difference between KW and other companies. They were extremely clear and articulate. It really is fantastic. Just sit through the first 10 minutes of the show before Jacki and Jerry go on. Then, after the commercial, there is still more engaging conversation.
Fun for the Holidays
It seemed innocent enough. Seven Friends opening a board game called Diplomacy. We took the game seriously, seeking to win at all costs. The only way to win the game is to adapt, engage, betray (only at the right time),ally and do what ever it takes to conquere the world.
We know we are not really like these alter egos we have created; Perry the loud and two faced, Steven the manipulator, Arron the innocent, Ben the trusted (for the next 10 turns), Ethan the slow to trust, Sean the ultimate betrayer (who by the way won the game), and Alex the betrayed. As of today, Alex still hasn't recovered from the depth of Sean's betrayal.
This was the fifth annual get together of this group. For a very sick, deep reason, we want to continue this tradition. Todd taught Perry and Sean how to do it online. Since everyone is spread out from Kansas City, Nashville, Colorado, and Louisville, we want to play online during the year.
Mayor Abramson speaks on Forclosures
I was listening to Market watch on NPR public radio as I am wont to do on a Tuesday night right before my bible study starts and lo and behold I find our illustrious mayor Abramson who is out of town on a mayor conference speaking about how this year, in 2007, with a population of 700,000 we have 3500 recorded bank foreclosures up from 2000 last year. Of course, this looks like nothing short of opportunity for my customers and me. The banks 30 year fixed rate today is 6.20% ! Now is the time to purchase property. When we buy our cloths at the mall we purchase when the price is down or when things are on sale. We should do the same with our real estate purchases. We will be kicking ourselves in 2 years we are back in a sellers market when our homes are worth a premium and we wished we had an extra house to sell.
By the way, here is our latest listing.
Interest Loans are at a great level
Hey gang! Check out these numbers! I was going thru my tenant property list and found one 2nd mortgage at 9.25%. With market rates at these levels we can't afford not to refinance some of those adjustable rates that got away from us. Lynn and I will be talking to a couple of mortgage brokers and bankers in the next couple of weeks to discuss strategies about how to help our clients navigate around some of these mortgage issues that might rise up. Also we want to see some of the most resent products mortgage brokers have to offer. If you have questions don't hesitate to call us.
The Keller Williams Office is Profitable
Here it is. This Keller Williams Office is a year and a half old. We have been profit sharing for several months now. We just found out we are one of the top 7 most producing offices in Louisville Kentucky by the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors. I got so excited about the news I blew off some steam by riding around on Janis' scooter cooler.
Oh my but it was a wonderful day.
I've been toying with this as some kind of a logo for the web. I don't like the way it looks, so we're not going to use it. The house is good. The logo is good, they just don't don't fit together.
There was a lunch this week. Several people from Keller Williams were there. We filled up three and a half tables at the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors Annual luncheon. We were a bit loud and proud. The reason for all the excitement was the fact that our company, Keller Williams Louisville Kentucky is one of the top 7 most productive offices in Louisville Kentucky. The amazing thing is we are only a year and a half old.
This is our latest listing
Opportunity Knocks
The housing market has really been in an upheaval over the last year. The press is going on and on about a housing crisis. There language is very dramatic, as I imagine it must be to sell papers. They use words like crisis, upheaval and crash. They talk about housing bubbles bursting and price declining and panic in the streets. It's enough for me to consider being nervous if it weren't for the facts.
The truth of it is there are three times the inventory of listings in Louisville compared to what most of us have been used to in the past. We can see that by all the for sale signs in our neighborhood. It seems like they are everywhere and sit on the market forever. It is as you may have heard. It's a buyers market.
With three times the inventory, a home buyer can get downright spoiled with all the choices they have out there. Since the inventory sits, they take their time putting an offer on a property. They can. There was a day gone by when we needed to get that offer in or we would lose the house. Not so much today. To compound the problem, they also have a house to sell. So they get excited, put an offer on a house only to lose it because they can't perform. Ouch.
Most Realtors and homeowners are hurt and feel victimized by the current market and don't know what to do about it.
My wife Lynn and I understand what kind of market this is and we love it. As the saying goes, "for every cloud there is a silver lining." For every obstacle, there is an opportunity. This market is no exception. Let's look at the numbers again.
Even though there is three times the inventory than we are used to more than a year ago, the amount of homes that sold this year are higher than last year. So, even though the inventory is enormous, there are plenty of homes selling. In fact, there are more. Looking at the inventory, the best third is selling. The best third are created typically by excellent real estate agents.
Our team has adopted a strategy to get a listing ready for the market to get the most amount of money for the seller in the least amount of time. We average eight home sales a month and are actually selling faster and getting more money for our customers this year than we did last year.
We adopt a strategy for selling the clients house based on the current market. Lynn is a listing expert. One reason Lynn is an expert in residential home sales is because she is specialist in pricing the home. Armed with data and over 12 years of high volumed experience she prices the home and stages the home for sale with resources to present the home to the market in it's most favorable light.
Once an offer comes to the table. Lynn negotiates the offer. We won't recommend accepting contingency contracts. Why would we accept a contract contingent upon the sale of a buyers house selling? Extraneous circumstances aside, a contingency contract essentially takes the sellers house off the market or out of the hands of a legitimate buyer to get every one's hopes up only to crash when the buyer can't perform on the contract because their house can't sell. There are plenty of contracts that are acceptable to our sellers besides contingencies that we are more than willing to work with. We will even suggest a contract that will work best for the buyers so they get a win win deal.
Even in a buyers market plenty of homes are being sold. It may mean you need to work harder. It may mean you have to choose your real estate agent more carefully. You may be asking them tougher questions and ultimately hiring an agent with more experience. But the market does not dictate our level of success. All it does is dictates our strategies. If, on our way to work, we find it's raining, we don't go home and quit and play the victim. We grab our umbrellas, even if we still get a little wet. Our listings sell much faster than the average listing in Louisville. Our goal is nothing less than getting the most amount of money in the least amount of time for our clients.
Oh my what a laugh
This is how I feel everytime I hear what a bad real estate market this is. I've coalessed my thoughts as I've decompressed from Mega camp and will release it in our newspaper, "At Home In Louisville." The one comming up is the September edition. I'll also make sure and get it on the blog.- Perry
What an amazing couple of days
We are in Mega camp in Austin with Keller Williams and learned about blogging. What an amazing technology. So this is the first post ever. So I'm marking this as an historic occasion.
