Davis CA Real Estate Blog

Google Now Offers Bicycling Directions and Maps

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:42:17 -0500

Google Maps has recently released a new feature that will be of particular interest to Davis residents and bicycling
enthusiasts. As you know, the town of Davis, California is all about bikes, bike paths and bike lanes.

Now when you use Google maps, you can get bicycling directions from one location to another that incorporates the citys bike paths into your trip.

In the "Get Directions" area of Google Maps, there is now a drop down menu (see graphic at right) which gives you the choice of directions by car, walking, bicycling, or by public transit.

I decided to test the Bicycling directions by choosing two locations in Davis and seeing if Google would know the bike paths in Davis and lead me from the Davis Farmers Market to El Macero golf course on a bike.

From experience, I know that you can avoid almost all city streets and the Richards Blvd. overpass by using the bike path that crosses under Highway 80 behind Borders books and then follow the bike path along Putah Creek that takes you almost all the way to Mace blvd without travelling on a city streets.

So I put these two location into "Get Directions", selected "bicycling" as my option and clicked.

Google returned with a map showing my path to get from Farmers market to El Macero, along with step by step written directions. Google did in fact keep me off many city streets, avoided the Richards blvd. overpass and kept me on bike paths most of the way.(see below)

Google chose to take a different, less scenic bike path that winds through south Davis, than I as a native would choose. I would have stayed along Putah creek rather than wander through South Davis neighborhoods, but why quibble.

The fact is that Davis has so many bike paths that there are many ways to get from one place to another. Choose the quickest route or the scenic route.

You can even modify the route that Google chooses for you by dragging and dropping the path to a new location. Google will automatically re-calculate your path.

This is a great new Google tool and can be particularly useful to new UC Davis students that arrive in town with a bike but don't have the knowledge of the Davis bike path system. To learn more about the bike paths in Davis, you can visit Bicycle Friendly Davis.

Thanks Google! You have added a tool to your search engine that seems to be custom made for Davis residents.

3 Summer Real Estate Bargains in Davis, California

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 00:29:36 -0400

For July, I decided to put myself in an investors shoes for a few minutes and scout the Davis real estate market to see what kind of deals are out there. I pictured myself as an investor that wants to find an investment home to use as a rental. But, a few parameters -

First, I would want to make the purchase, and close, in time to rent it out before the University starts it's fall session. That means a property that can close quickly. So I'm not going to look at any property that is a short sale. I can't be waiting around to hear from a bank. It could be months before they respond.

Second, it has to be in good condition. I don't have time for a lot of construction and rehab, and I want this home generating some sot of revenue by fall.

So I narrow my search and look for good buys in Condo, half-plex, and single family home. This is what I found.

Property #1 - The Single Family Home

Here's an investors dream. 4 Bedrooms and the price was just reduced, so we might have a motivated seller. The home has a large backyard already fixed up for the vegetable gardener. At just $379,000, that's just $94,000 per bedroom for a single family home. For a four bedroom home in east Davis rents currently run from $1,700 to $2,000 per month. You do the math. This could be a winner.

Property #2 - The Half-Plex

This is a sweet halfplex in a great location, right across the street from a large park, and down the street from a great shopping center. This beauty is just made for the universty rental market. No problem finding renters here. It's a clean 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit with off street parking. It has vaulted ceilings, newer appliances and roof so your maintenance costs should be minimal. It was built in 1990 and looks sharp. It's priced at $379,500.

Property #3 - The Condo

This is the cheapest property in Davis, that's not a short-sale. It's only one bedroom, so it would be better suited for the first time buyer, a couple or single person. This is a large one bedroom, One bath condo in Stonegate and includes Stonegate country club priviledges (Tennis, Pool, Workout room, Lake with picnic area). Close to shopping, too. There is the matter of quartery dues of $121. Okay, maybe not an investment rental, but at $229,000 still a great buy.

Summertime in Davis is the time when a lot of rental properties change hands. Students graduate, people leave town and move on. The next batch of students arrives looking for housing. If you are an investor looking for property in a University town, Davis is the place for you. I have more detailed information about Investing in Davis Real Estate on my website.

For July of 2010, these are three of the better buys in Davis right now. If you would like to see any of these homes, give me a call today at 530-219-7653 and we can set an appointment for you to see them, or any other Davis property.

Davis CA Real Estate is Blooming in Spring 2010

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:01:55 -0400

The Davis, California real estate market has always had a seasonal component in that sales increase in the spring until late summer and then they tail off until the following spring. The weather and the University school year are two factors that contribute to this cycle. This years financial stimulus tax credits and low interest rates are two other factors. To see a three year graph that illustrates the cyclical nature of the Davis real estate market, check out my Davis real estate market page.

It's no surprise then that sales in April 2010 are up. The good news is that April 2010 is much better than April 2009.

To summarize the graph below, the number of homes sold in April 2010 is 25% higher than the year before, while the median price of homes sold is up 8% from last year.

In addition, homes are selling faster than they did last April.

Best of all, the average price per square foot is holding firm. While other markets have picked up, because home values have dropped, the Davis market has been able to hold onto value better than most. The average price per square foot for homes sold is nearly the same as it was last year at this time.

Good news on all fronts !

The graph below provides the details;

If you are thinking of selling your Davis home, it is wise to get in front of the wave of buyers that appears in the spring and then goes away in August. More buyers means more people interested in seeing and buying your home. This translates into a faster sale and a higher price for you. Don't wait until fall when the market slows down. Call me today to find out how much your home is worth in todays market. I'll be happy to meet with you, provide you a free Comparative Market Analysis of your home, and also give you some tips on how to prepare your home for sale to get the most for it. Call me today at 530-219-SOLD.

As 2010 Starts, Davis Home Prices Hold Firm

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:57:13 -0500

I'm providing this latest update to show that home prices, as measured by price per square foot, have held firm in Davis over the last three years. The graph below shows the price per square foot of homes sold from January 2007 to January 2010. Notice the prices started 2007 at about $300 per square foot and have remained fairly steady. Smaller homes will sell for more than this average and larger homes usually sell for less than this price per square foot. If you are wondering what your home might be worth, the $300 per square foot is a general rule of thumb as a starting point.

This next graph show the inventory for sale vs. the number of homes sold over the same three year period. Notice the cyclical nature of the Davis real estate market. Every July the number of homes sold peaks as the school year ends, rental homes become empty, and landlords put them up for sale. Also, in a University town like Davis, students and employees are moving in and out of town to other colleges and buying or selling their homeas the case may be.

If you are thinking about selling your home in Davis this year, get ahead of the curve. You can see that homes will be coming on the market in higher numbers by April, so call me today for a free market analysis of your home. I'll review with you my marketing plan for your home, have you meet with my expert on "staging" your home so it shows well, and give you an accurate assesment of what your home will sell for in todays market. I hope you are encouraged by the numbers above. Call me today at 530-219-SOLD and let's get started. - Vicki

Davis Home Buyers are out in Force.....

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:56:24 -0500

Saturdays’ Incredible Open House

Just as I was setting up my signs for the open house in West Davis last Saturday another strong shower passed right over head. Setting up the signs is by far the least favorite part of any Open House and setting up the signs in wet weather just makes the whole experience that much more fun… not!

Open Houses can be and are usually a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. What Realtor doesn’t love talking real estate to a new audience.

There are however those Opens that drag on with little or heaven forbid, no visitors. Those Opens when your hoping you’ve brought a long a good book to read or spend a few hours scanning your Blackberry for new messages.

If last Saturday’s Open House activity was any indication of the Davis market this spring, it should be a great year.

My Open was absolutely packed; with visitors lined up at the front door waiting a turn to go in. I assumed my traffic cop role, moving potential buyer’s up the stairs with one group and into the kitchen with the second to avoid a buyer’s jam. Almost everyone seemed enthusiastic about the possibility of purchasing.

I think the fact that the tax credit for new and/or move-up buyers is ending soon, combined with very low interest rates and a low inventory of homes for sale in Davis, had everything to do with this incredible turnout… over twenty five groups of people!

If you are thinking about selling your house this year, don't wait until spring. The buyers are out there now and want to close on a home before the $8,000 tax credit goes away. Call me today!

Davis Real Estate market report for Q3 2009

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:53:20 -0500

The summer real estate season is over in Davis and the students have come back to town to fill up the rental homes and apartments. The number of homes sold in Davis was down in the summer quarter compared to the same period in 2008.

Why are sales down? One reason might be the change in lending standards that have occurred since the financial “meltdown” that took place last fall. With tighter credit standards, it’s harder to get home loans, so less people are qualifying as prospective buyers. Fewer buyers can mean fewer sales, and usually lower prices. The median price is also affected by the simple fact that entry level homes and first time buyers are moving faster than the rest of the market due to the $8,000 first time buyer tax credit currently in place. So more low end and entry level homes are selling.

The numbers below provide the details:

There is one silver lining. Homes are taking less time to sell. Last year the average days on the market for a listing was 59 days, in 2009 it took 51 days, on average to sell a home.

If you are interested in selling a home in the Davis area, contact me for a free home value estimate and check out my tips for Davis Home Sellers for some great tips on how to sell your home in a tough real estate market.

source: Metrolist MLS

Woodland Ca Real Estate Prices are a Bargain in Q3

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:52:19 -0400

The Woodland, California real estate market continues to see the effects of a slow economy and the tight credit markets. Sales of homes in Woodland slowed to just 147 in the 3rd quarter of 2009, while the median price fell to just $215,000.

Here is a snapshot of Q3 for Woodland:

There are buyers out there, but the market seems to be dominated by first time home buyers and investors looking for homes below $200,000 that may cash-flow.

The first time home buyer is being spurred by the $8,000 federal tax credit. Many have expressed an interest of closing quickly in order to take advantage of this offer by the November 30th deadline.

Bargain hunters and investors are looking at homes in the $130,000 to $180,000 range and fixer-uppers.

It is also taking a little longer to sell a house in 2009 than it did in 2008. But a well priced home can still attract buyers and sell quickly. A friend of mine just put his 3 bedroom north side home, built in the 1950’s, on the market for $220,000. It was sold in just 8 days and received multiple offers.

If you are a seller in Woodland, get a realistic estimate of your homes worth. Don’t try to over price you home in hopes of finding a naïve buyer that will pay more than it’s worth. They don’t exist anymore. It’s not 2004, it’s 2009 and it’s a buyers market. Savvy buyers know a good priced when they see it. They also can spot a home that is overpriced and they stay clear of it. Why should they bother dealing with a seller of an overpriced home in today’s market, when there are so many motivated sellers, short sales and bank owned properties to choose from?

The answer is……. they don’t. If your home has been on the market for seven days and it has not been shown to a prospective buyer, it is overpriced. The buyers are out there, but they are focusing on well-priced homes.

If you are ready to sell, give me a call. 80% of buyers are using the internet to find their next home. I have the internet presence to bring buyers to you through my websites www.WoodlandHomes2sell.com and www.DavisHomes2sell.com . They are top ranked by Google and get thousands of visits each month from buyers all over the world.

Davis Home Prices Hold Up Relatively Well From 2005 to 2009

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:00:46 -0400

The first question local friends and neighbors ask when the subject of real estate comes up is "how much are prices down"?, which is a simple question that can lead to complicated answers.

The answer could be different depending on the type of home you are talking about.

Conventional wisdom says that the high end homes have taken a bigger hit because the volume of buyers at that level has fallen off. Conventional wisdom also says that lower priced homes have held up better because there is still demand at the low end (more so now with first time buyer tax incentives).

There was a headline in the New York Times recently saying that Phoenix is the first major real estate market to make a 50% drop from the market high prices of 2005 to current market values.

With that in mind, I thought I would review how prices have behaved in the Davis, California real estate market over a similar period to see how we compare.

I took the average sale price per square foot for home in the third quarter of 2005, which seems to be about the top of the market here.

The figures then are broken out according to the size of the home, from small 950 square feet up to home in the 3,000 square feet and above category. The data includes only single family homes, no condos.

Then we look at the same information for homes sold Year to Date through April 20th, 2009, to see how far home prices have fallen, when expressed in price per square foot.

The results show two interesting facts;

1) Davis has been spared the steep price declines that other markets have suffered. The biggest drop in home prices from 2005 to 2009 is just 21% for the smallest homes, while homes of most other sizes dropped in price in the 14% to 19% range. This is not bad for a a 3 1/2 year price change. There are many factors that contribute to the resilience of real estate prices in Davis, the lack of new home inventory being one of them, as Davis is a "slow growth" town without the sprawl development of other areas (... like Phoenix). I have written previous blog posts about the factors that make Davis a unique real estate market.

2) There is not a huge disparity between the price drop of large homes vs. the price drop of smaller homes. The common wisdom that higher end home prices were suffering more are not born out by these numbers.

There is one anomaly in the numbers. At the 2,200 to 2,500 square foot range the data shows that prices have dropped just 6%. But only one home showed up in the 2009 data, so that price per square foot number is not necessarily an accurate representation.

Having seen this information, I feel relieved, as I am a Davis homeowner. It also makes me feel for those folks in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Florida whose markets have not held up as well.

Davis is a vibrant community and a great place to live. As proof, I offer my previous blog about Davis being one of the Five Friendliest Cities in the US and also my Top Ten Reasons to Live in Davis. And now we have reason #11...Davis has a relatively strong real estate market, when compared to other California cities and many markets nationwide.

October Home Sales for Davis and Woodland

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:21:16 -0500

The peak selling season has come to an end in Davis. Spring and Summer are the most active months for home sales in Davis for two primary reasons:

As a University town, most things in Davis tend to revolve around the school year calendar. Many times new Professors, employees and staff relocate to town over the Summer. This brings an influx of buyers in the Spring looking to buy homes and close the sale over the Summer so they can move in and get settled before the school year starts.
As Students vacate rental housing in June, landlords find it a good time to sell rental homes over the summer while they are empty.

So sales of homes in October hit the lowest point since February, in regards to the number of units sold. Surely the recent problems with the financial "meltdown" also contributed to the slowdown in sales.

Here's the details on October home sales in Davis vs. the same month in 2007:

Sales were flat in October vs. a year ago, but the rest of the figures a not so good. The median price dropped 8% from a year ago. The price per square foot is down from $323 a year ago to just $304 today. The lowering of prices is the only reason the units sold were the same as a year ago. And sellers are getting 96% of their asking price vs. 97.5% of asking price last year. Sellers have had to be more flexible in negotiating, ask lower prices, and still it is taking longer to sell a house now than a year ago.

This is the classic buyers market. One caveat though, with just 19 homes sold, the median price number may be skewed with such a small sampling. It could be that a few more low end homes were sold in October than normal, thus bringing down the median price. Look for more data over time that includes a higher sample to get a more accurate feel for the market.

In Woodland, on the other hand, you see a much more dynamic market. Prices have fallen much more than in Davis, and Woodland has a large number of Bank-Owned and pre-foreclosure homes. Take a look at the data for Woodland in October:

The number of homes sold in Woodland is up 138% from a year ago. While this may look good on the surface, the rest of the numbers tell the whole story.

The median home price has fallen from $355,000 to just $205,000, a whopping 42% in one year. As the number of homes on the market ballooned earlier in the year due to mortgage issues, sellers were cutting prices to get the home sold.

While it took nearly 6 months to sell a home a year ago, the time has been cut to just over 2 months. With prices falling, some sellers wanted to get their homes sold before the market slid any more and were more aggressive with their asking price. The good news is that aggressive pricing has brought in the buyers and they are paying 98% of the asking price vs. 94% a year ago.

The dynamics of the real estate markets in Davis and Woodland have many more reasons for their fluctuations than I have listed here. I'm just providing some basic highlights for those of you that follow the real estate trends in the area.

If you have any thoughts about other information you would like to see on a regular basis, just let me know and I will include it in my next post.

Let's see what November brings........

Davis Ranked #1 for California College Towns

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:42:35 -0500

A recent blog post by Paul Shigley of the California Planning & Development Report lists Davis as #1 among true college towns in California. "Davis is the prototypical college town. Downtown Davis, located an easy bike ride from campus, is a lively place..." says the report.

DOWNTOWN DAVIS

"The open and inviting campus offers plenty for non-students, including recreation, and cultural and sporting events. Plus, practically everyone gets around via bicycle or foot."

Other towns mentioned in the report include Chico, San Luis Obispo, and Berkeley.

I have to agree with Mr. Shigley that Davis is a special place to live, a small town feel with many big city amenities.

For more details on what makes Davis unique, check out The Top 10 Reasons to Live in Davis.

People that buy homes in Davis, do so for a variety of reasons. The most frequent buyers include:

People relocating to Davis to work at the University or in area Bio, Ag, or Hi Tech businesses.
Parents of students buying homes/condos as housing for their child and/or investment.
Investors buying rental homes for students, grad students, or University staff.
People from throughout the region that are attracted to Davis for it's small town feel, environmental awareness, and exciting opportunites for culture and education.

For more details on the housing market, you'll find Davis Real Estate to be a great information source.

Davis, a Bicycle Paradise

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:39:37 -0400

It's Fall now. The leaves are turning colors and the students have returned to the University of California, Davis. The streets are now full of bikes after the usual summer lull.

Davis's love of bicycles goes back to the early days of the town, and the City of Davis logo includes a prominent, old fashioned "high-wheeler" bicycle.

A large high-wheeler bike sculpture sits prominently in front of Davis City Hall.

Davis has always been a town with more bikes than cars. With over 100 miles of bike lanes and bike paths integrated into the towns transportation infrastructure, automobile drivers have to remain on the lookout for new students trying to negotiate the bike-ways as they learn their way around town.

What's the difference between a "bike path" and a "bike lane"?

You can find the answer on the Bicycle Friendly Davis page of my main website. You'll also find pictures of bike paths and lanes around town, and a map of the Davis Bike Loop, a popular 12 mile loop that connects many of the neighborhoods in town. The Bike Loop also allows you to see many of the points of interest and access shopping, libraries, and parks without riding on city street or sharing the road with cars.

With the price of gas at all time highs this year, more and more people are commuting to work on bikes also.

If you like to ride your bike, for pleasure, exercise, or to school or work, Davis is the place for you.

Bicycle Riders of the World Unite!!

...and move to Davis.

Backing Up My Claim That Davis is a Unique Market

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:15:43 -0400

In many of my past blog posts, I have mentioned that the Davis market is unique and not always subject to the same market forces as other towns in Yolo County or the greater Sacramento region.

Below are some statistics that prove my point. Below is a study of Average Sale Prices. Two snapshots were taken and compared. Figures were pulled from the Summer of 2005 (almost the top of the market?) and the Summer of 2008 (June, July, and August in both years). The average home sales price for these periods was broken out by Zip Code to see how the decline is home prices effected different areas.

You will notice that Davis fared better than any other area of Yolo County and any other area of the Sacramento Region. If you look back through my previouos posts you will find detailed information about this market that explainis why Davis is not subject to the same downward pressures of other local real estate markets.

This is one of the reasons that Davis, is one the best places to invest your real estate dollar in Northern California.

Davis Home Sales Rebound In August, Price Per Sq. Ft Holding Firm

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:25:13 -0400

2008 has been a year where each month more homes were sold in Davis than the previous month. Then we seemed to top-out in June with 65 single family home sales.

After dropping to just 36 homes sold in July, with the Average price per square foot falling below $300, sales of single family homes in Davis, California rebounded slightly in August.

The accompanying chart tells the story:

As you can see, the number of homes sold steadily increased each month to a peak of 65 in June, then fell off to 36 in July. It has now rebounded to 46 in August. Meanwhile, the average price per square foot has remained in the $300 to $335 range all year.

Compared to other markets around the country, Davis has not seen the drastic decline in home values as other markets (see my previous post below). There is a certain seasonal nature to home sales in the Davis market, due to the University summer break. It presents a natural time for owners of homes used as student rentals to sell while the home is not occupied.

There are currently 112 single family homes and 20 condos listed in the MLS for Davis.

Average days on the market remains at 57, just about where it was a year ago

- Vicki Walker

Market Risk Index Shows Cities Most/Least Likely to Continue Housing Decline

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:20:39 -0400

The PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. recently released its Summer 2008 U.S. Market Risk Index. It ranks 50 cities around the country according to how likely they are to continue to see a decline in the price of housing over the next two years. You can read a summary of the report and the complete list by clicking above.

Real estate investors may find the list helpful by avoiding the markets with the highest risk of price declines and focusing on the bottom of the list, which shows the cities least likely to see home prices fall further.

As you might expect, the areas at the top of the list, with the highest risk, are all in California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. These are markets which experienced explosive growth during the last 10 years, with home prices showing huge appreciation, and thus have the farthest to fall.

Here are the top 12 markets and their corresponding risk percentage. NOTE - the percentage number indicates the likelihood of price declines, it has nothing to do with the amount of the decline.

1. Riverside - San Bernardino, CA 95.5% 2. Fort Lauderdale, FL 92.2% 3. West Palm Beach - Boca Raton, FL 91.9% 4. Orlando - Kissimee, FL 91.1% 5. Las Vegas, NV 91.1% 6. Tampa - St. Petersburg, FL 86.6% 7. Santa Ana - Anaheim - Irvine, CA 85.8% 8. Los Angeles - Long Beach, CA 85.7% 9. Miami, FL 84.8% 10. Sacramento - Roseville, CA 82.2% 11. Phoenix - Scottsdale, AZ 79.6% 12. San Diego, CA 78.0%

Notice that our very own Sacramento ranks as #10 most risky markets. In regards to the Davis real estate market, as I have talked about in many previous posts, Davis may be just 10 miles from Sacramento but as a real estate market it is worlds away. The dynamics of the Davis real estate market are unique and largely unaffected by Sacramento home prices.

Looking at the other side of the coin, the "safest" markets, with the least likelihood of price declines over the next two years, would be those at the bottom of the list. If you are an investor interested in getting a good rental home with little chance it will go down in value, you might find it among these cities. As you might expect, most of these cities are in the Midwest and Texas.

39. Austin, TX <1% 40. Denver - Aurora, CO <1% 41. Charlotte, NC <1% 42. Kansas City, MO-KS <1% 43. Columbus, OH <1% 44. Cincinnati, OH <1% 45. Indianapolis, IN <1% 46. San Antonio, TX <1% 47. Houston, TX <1% 48. Pittsburg, PA <1% 49. Dallas, TX <1% 50. Fort Worth, TX <1%

Everyone is trying to do the impossible, that is, "time" the weakness in home prices so as to buy at the exact bottom of the market. It's a difficult if not impossible task. Perhaps the real estate investor should focus on opportunities in the less risky markets until things become more steady.

Are you a real estate investor? What markets are looking like good buys to you right now?

Which Realtor is Best for Me?

Vicki Walker (Coldwell Banker, D.A.R.E.) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:10:09 -0400

Last week there was a good article posted at TheStreet.com entitlted "How To Pick the Best Real Estate Agent for You". This article brings up some good points and is well worth the read, so I wanted to share it with my readers.

In addition to the main points of the article, most of which I agree with, I would like to add a few more things to look for when picking a Davis real estate agent.

First, you want a Realtor that is successful, and has enough experience to know what they are doing, but not so successful that you become just another one of dozens of clients they are working with. You want your home to be the Realtors top priority, after all this is your home you are buying (or selling). This is a big deal, maybe the biggest. "Top Producer" should not mean "Too Busy To Give You My Full Attention".

Make sure the Realtor you choose has an internet presence; 80% of home buyers use the internet as part of the home search. So, if you are a buyer, a web savvy agent will be able to use all the latest technologies to help you find the right house for you. They will also have a website that includes an easy to use home search function that lets you and the Realtor keep up to date with new home listings.

If you are selling your home, a Realtor with an internet presence is even more important. A Realtors job is to expose your home to as many potential buyers as possible. They should feature your home on their website so that visitors can quicly get the details and find pictures of your home.

In the 21st Century, a Realtor without a web presence just can't do that job. So before deciding on a Realtor to list your house, check out their website. Can you find it on Google and Yahoo easily? If you can't, how is a buyer going to?

Ask Realtors you interview how their site ranks in the search engines and how many visitors their site gets each month. If they don't know the answers to these questions, how effective will they be marketing your home to people using the internet in their home search?

Check with the Realtor, or their Broker, to get references from past clients. My Broker has customers fill out a "Satisfaction Survey" when each home is sold. Ask to see these.

Communication between the Realtor and the client is the key to a smooth transaction. Ask your prospective Realtor how they would normally communicate with a client. How often? In what way? The answers you get will tell you if you and the Realtor have the same expectation.

Choosing a Realtor can be a challenge. But don't leave the purchase or sale of your home in the hands of someone you recently met at a cocktail party. Take the time to talk to, and find, the right Agent for you.

Do you have anything to add to the article linked to above? Any thoughts on what makes a good Realtor?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, just click on the comments section below and add your own.

-Vicki