Milwaukee and Waukesha Area Home Sales for Spring of 2009

The home sales market is rebounding in the Milwaukee area. January and February of 2009 have seen a high volume of sales in foreclosures. The first week of April has seen an increase in sales in suburban homes under $200,000. This has been achieved with little or no government involvement.

Past years have shown, prices will increase as new listings enter the market in early spring with moderate or high sales figures. The Greater Milwaukee area has experienced price increases averaging 8% for five consecutive years ranging from 2002 to 2007. From 2007 to 2008 Wisconsin has shown a 1% increase in overall pricing. Many sellers are waiting for the first sign of a turn around in prices. When this happens, many sellers will list their homes at prices above market value. If sales continue to increase, so will prices. Sellers will be like a person coming up out of a pool of water. After holding their breath for such a long time they will be trying to gather as much in one breath as they can. Any good news in home sales will bring out sellers, marketing properties at higher prices with the mind set of, "if I sell at this price, great, if not, I'll take it off the market."

With higher priced homes entering the market, other sellers may be less willing to negotiate.

Prices can vary drastically from neighborhood to neighborhood. A quick and easy indicator can be found in the use of an MLS Portal. This is an easy to use web based program provided by the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors through the local MLS. Information on homes in the areas you are interested in are automatically send to you via e-mail. The Portal keeps a collection of these listings so they can be viewed at any time. Status changes are also recorded on this Portal. When a listing receives an accepted offer a little yellow tag is attached to the listing. The status also changes when the listing is sold, expires or is withdrawn.

In the past few weeks we have seen accepted offers in numbers not seen over the past 18 months of the economic turn down. Lower list prices and interest rates have created a large number of appealing bargains on the market.

If you do not have the use of an MLS Portal, let me know and I can set one up for you. This will be the easiest way for you to keep an eye on the market where you are most interested. This will give you the ability to witness local trends.

For more information please feel free to contact Dennis Herman of Realty Executives 414-426-1784 or visit my Web Site at Ez1Realty.net

Why Pay for a Foreclosure List?

If you are looking at foreclosures you may have searched for them on the Internet. Chances are you have seen pictures of homes, looking like mansions at unbelievable prices. Remember the old saying, "if it looks too good to be true...."

Many of these sites use trade mark names but have no affiliation with these nationally known businesses. What does that tell you about these companies? Do you want to know the truth about foreclosed properties? Lenders owning these properties are doing all they can to market these properties so they can sell them as quickly as possible. All foreclosed properties are listed with a local Real Estate Broker. Information about foreclosed properties is free!!!

Answering ads on Internet sites offering foreclosures can be risky, you never know who is on the other end and where they are located. The National Association of Realtors sends notices of the scams on the Internet. It is easy for scam artists to copy information from any ad and paste it into their web site. To avoid these scams follow these general rules.

Do not contact any company that does not clearly state the name of the company, address and phone number. BY LAW ALL LICENSED REAL ESTATES AGENTS MUST CLEARLY STATE THEIR NAME, THE NAME OF THE BROKER AND THEIR PHONE NUMBER. If you do not see this information CLEARLY stated, you are not viewing an ad or web site for a licensed Real Estate Agent.
Contact only local agents since these are the only agents that will be able to assist you. They can send you listings and set up appointments to see the properties. Provide your local agent information on the type of property you are looking for and your preferred location. They will provide you information about listings in your area for free.

Never pay a fee!!! I have never heard of a licensed Real Estate Agent charging a fee to show a property.

Foreclosed properties never provide complete information on a property, so you have to call an agent, set an appointments and view properties. You will have the option to hire a state licensed inspector after an accepted offer is signed. A state licensed inspector will provide you with a list of the property defects. After receiving this list you may have a choice to go on with the purchase or cancel the contract. You will have to pay for an inspection. You local Real Estate Agent may be able to provide you with a list of local inspectors.

I wanted to make one thing perfectly clear. You can obtain a free list of foreclosed properties from any local Real Estate Agent. This information is public and FREE. If anyone wants to charge for this information, do not reply, delete the e-mail, close the Internet window or hang up the phone. Don't even consider sharing any information if there is a chance of a fee being charged.

For more information please feel free to contact Dennis Herman of Realty Executives 414-426-1784 or visit my Web Site at Ez1Realty.net

How to choose a great Real Estate Agent to List your Home

How to choose a great Real Estate Agent. I always say, “we could have the easiest job in the world if everyone would do their job.” That goes beyond Real Estate Agents. To bring a transaction to a successful closing it takes a team effort. There are normally two Real Estate Agents, one for the seller and one for the Buyer. There is also a lender for the buyer. Additionally there are title companies, an appraiser, in most cases an inspector, and of course there is the seller and the buyer. Each has at least one job to do. You are asking about information on the Real Estate agent that will represent you, the seller, so I will concentrate on that area.

Think about this statement; the Real Estate agent will represent you. Which means they will be the first contact in every step of the transaction. That should give you a clue as to what to look for in choosing a personality that will best reflect your goals. If you want to sell quick at any price you may want an aggressive Agent. If you want an agent that will negotiate for top dollar you may want an agent with a more persuasive personality. One that will be more low key, that always has a plan B and C in place ahead of time, a personality that attracts people.

Choose a personality that you will get along with.

Choose an Agent that will present your property and interests in a professional manner.

What are their marketing skills? What imaginative marketing have they used for problem listings in the past?

Do not be hasty to sign with the Agent promising the highest list price. You set the price, they sell the property. Three major conditions will determine how quickly your house will sell. They are location, condition and price.

Look for an Agent that is open and honest with you. Unless your house is mutinously maintained, has all the major updates and is spotless inside and out, a good agent should provide ideas for improvements to prepare your property for showings. Pay attention to how they handle this situation. Chances are if they are rough and vague in their communication they will also extend this type of personality to other agents and buyers. Listen and pay attention to how they explain the defects they find in your property. Attention to detail is an important trait in a good Agent.

After taking the Agent through your home ask them how they would show your home. Chances are they will not be viewing other homes for buyers before they take them on a showing. For most agents the first time they see a home is when they walk through the door with the buyer. Agents have to train themselves to think quick and point out the best aspects of the property. After looking at your home they should have a mental picture of how to present your home to buyers. Ask them to take you on a tour of your house and pretend you are a buyer. This will show you how quickly they are able to think on their feet.

The best agents will ask you to go out and see other houses in the neighborhood. This will give you a chance to size up the competition. Think about it, this is the only way to set a logical market price on your property. You cannot judge the condition of the competition based on paperwork. I have never sold a single property based on looking at the computer screen or a printed copy of the spec sheet. Every property I have sold has been viewed by the buyer. They have to walk through a property to determine the value. Every buyer I have worked with has viewed a number of properties before they felt comfortable with a price. Why would you set a price on your property without having personally viewed other neighborhood on the area? This is what every buyer is going to do before making an offer.

Experience may not be a determining factor when choosing an Agent. The Internet has been the preferred method for home shopping for years. Make sure you choose an Agent that is familiar with the use of the Internet and has control of their own web site. Ask where they will be advertising your listing. Many of the younger agents may be better at using the Internet because that is all they have known. They do not have old habits to break. Look for an Agent that has a knowledge of this new technology. You may want to ask them how this has changed their business plan and what changes they see for the future.

Take notes. It is easy to confuse agents and issues after listening to them talk for some time. This is part of what they do for a living.

Question the commission. A smaller company may be able to give you the same or better service at a lower price than a larger company. The size of the company may seem like security for some but Real Estate Agents do not pose a threat of losing your money as a company doing repairs on your home. In Wisconsin, Brokers will not generally ask for any money up front. In all the cases I have seen the commission is paid at closing. The only exception I have seen is the for sale by owner, where the Brokers require an upfront fee paid for their services.


For more information please feel free to contact Dennis Herman of Realty Executives 414-426-1784 or visit my Web Site at Ez1Realty.net

10 Ways to Become a Billionaire

1. Find someone with 2 billion dollars and ask them for half.

2. Get a paper route and deliver 4 billion papers at a quarter a piece.

3. Get a job paying $20 an hour and work 50 million hours or 24,038 years.

4. Become a Real Estate Agent and sell $41,666,666,000 worth of Real Estate.

5. Win 10 lotteries worth 10 million dollars or 20 lotteries after taxes.

6. Have 5787 babies and collect $800 a month disability from each kid for 18 years.

7. Retire and collect $1200 a month social security for 83,333 years.

8. Recycle 2.5 billion pounds of aluminum cans at 40 cents a pound.

9. Get elected president of the United States for 625 terms. That is 2500 years at $400,000 per year.

The easiest way to become a billionaire.

10. Become the CEO of one of the eight financial institutions asking for government money. This requires no skill and the least amount of effort. Not including number 1 above. If this pay is restricted see number 9 above.

Kitchen Saver

Kitchen Saver, Inc.
6351 West North Ave.
Wauwatosa, WI 53213
Phone: 414-453-4220
Web Site: WWW.KitchenSaver.net

When you visit Kitchen Saver you know you are in the presence of extraordinary selection, value and service. With 22 years of experience, Kitchen Saver specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling. From completely new or custom cabinets to refacing in solid hardwoods or durable Formica, Kitchen Saver does it all.

Kitchen Savers is a family owned business, providing a high level of quality service the old fashion way. All of the work, from design to installation, is completed by their own in house crews. They do not subcontract any of the services they provide. This allows them to maintain a high degree of quality control, reduce time of installation, and ensure a happy and satisfied customer. Kitchen Saver can give your kitchen or bathroom a totally new updated look in as little as one to two days.

Kitchen Saver takes pride in the constantly growing selection of products they provide. New cabinets or refacing can be done in any imaginable size and color. Custom colors are also available. Increased functionality is created by installing new organizational items such as tilt-out sink panels, lazy susans or pivot and pull units, trash roll-out systems and new under mount glide drawer boxes. Counter tops are available in a variety of materials including granite, marble, cultured marble, engineered stone, Corian®, Zodiaq® and laminate, which come in thousands of colors. There is almost no limit to the choices of faucets and fixtures to complete your new kitchen or bathroom. And brands such as Kohler, Moen, Delta and Grohe to ensure quality and dependability for years to come. Flooring also comes in many choices like solid hardwoods, engineered flooring, Dura Ceramic, Wilsonart Laminates, ceramic tile, vinyl and bamboo, to name a few.

Bathroom choices consist of a fantastic array of vanities, sinks, fixtures, floors, lighting, toilets, tubs and showers to fulfill every desire and budget. Bathrooms can be easily updated with a tub insert and wall system or completely remodeled with the latest designer fixtures, colors and textures.

Kitchen Saver is a Specialty Plus designated retailer for Dupont® Corian® and Zodiac® products. This is Dupont’s way of rewarding companies for extraordinary customer service and innovative design. They are also a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA), and the National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI).

References are gladly provided in your neighborhood from the thousands of satisfied customers in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha Counties. From the Wauwatosa location they serve the communities of Milwaukee, Menomonee Falls, Germantown, Franklin, West Allis, Brookfield, Grafton, Slinger, Waukesha, Brown Deer, Greenfield, Glendale, Greendale, Oak Creek, Lannon, Muskego, New Berlin, Mequon and every city, town and village in between.

Stop in or call Kitchen Saver to talk with one of the in-house designers to discuss your needs. They are specialists at supplying the greatest value for every budget. Put a smile on your kitchen.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

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Random Lake PC Repair LLC

Random Lake PC Repair LLC
124 Deppiesse Road
Random Lake, WI

Peter Batha
Phone 414.208.4150
E-mail Peter
Web Site http://randompcrepair.com/index.php

Random Lake PC Repair excels in PC repair at a reasonable price. Any computer will be repaired for $90 or less in labor costs plus parts and shipping whether it is picked up or dropped off. Random Lake PC provides in home service for easy tasks such as memory installation. Worried about the cost of parts? This is where Random Lake PC rises above the competition. Random Lake PC has an extensive collection of suppliers to provide you with the parts you require at the lowest possible cost. You will only be charged for the actual cost of parts and shipping plus the $90 or less labor charge. Any additional costs will always be discussed and authorized by the customer before parts are ordered. Already have the parts but not sure about disassembling your computer? You have just found your computer repair shop. It cannot get any easier than that. Reliability, integrity and value are Random Lake PC’s greatest assets.

Many problems are caused by computer viruses. These can be removed and in most cases, the information on the hard drive can be recovered.

No job is too big or too small, from personal residential service to supplying major installations, disc clean up, memory upgrades and virus removal on multiple business computers.

Random Lake PC can custom build a single computer or multiple computers for business applications to customer specifications. This includes set up and software installation. Call to discuss your needs.

Considering a wireless home network? This can become confusing. You will need a number of items including a modem, router and possibly adapters. A modem is usually supplied by the cable, satellite or phone company providing Internet service. Which service is better, cable, satellite or DSL from the phone company? Is it better to rent a modem or purchase your own? Most laptops come ready to receive wireless service while PC’s may need an adapter. If you have any questions call for a free consultation that could save you hundreds of dollars.

Visit Random Lake PC’s web site where you will find tips on computer use, maintenance and links to free software.

Random Lake PC Repair serves Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington Counties. Pick up is also available in eastern Waukesha County for Brookfield and Menomonee Falls. Random Lake PC Repair is owned and operated by Peter Batha. Peter has been working on computers for 11 years and started his business in 2008. Peter also is active in the Seventh-day Adventist church he attends in Waukesha. Additionally Peter is responsible planning, upgrading and maintenance of all communication and computer equipment, as the Information Technology (IT) Administrator, at the SDA school on Mill Road in Milwaukee.

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Menomonee Falls Thai Asian Market

Thai Asian Market N56W14108 Silver Spring Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Phone 262-373-1412 If you have driven past the new shopping center on the corner of Silver Spring and Lily Road in Menomonee Falls you may have noticed the Thai Asian Market sign. Some think this is a new Thai restaurant in Menomonee Falls but this is much better, the Thai Asian Market is a new Thai and Asian food store.

You are more than welcome to stop in, shop and talk to Ron and Kaye, where you can receive tips on Thai and Asian cooking. Soon you will be learning the trade secrets that will make you the envy of the neighborhood. Your family will be arriving home to the mouth watering scent of sweet peppers, hot peppers, ginger, garlic and curry. You can prepare your dishes as hot or sweet as you prefer.

Thai Asian Market boasts a large selection of the finest products for Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino, Laotian, and Vietnamese cooking. They also have an assortment of supplies for Sushi; Tuna, Eel, Fish Roe, rice seasoning, seaweed wrap. For the sweet tooth they provide an exceptional selection of quaint candies, drinks and snacks. Choose from over a dozen varieties of rice, including Jasmine, Japanese, brown, sweet and sticky rice. Ask Kaye the secret of preparing your rice the way your favorite restaurant does. How about noodles? Whatever brand and type you want Kaye has them on the shelves; rice noodles, wheat noodles, mung bean noodles, long and short, thin and broad, white color and yellow color. There is also a selection of fresh Asian vegetables and fruits to choose from. For example; Chinese broccoli, bitter melon, eggplant, lemon grass, snow peas, bean sprouts/soy bean sprouts, persimmons, yam, and plantains. This store also has a good variety of frozen products; assortment of fish, shredded coconut, banana leaves, meat dumplings, and eggroll/spring roll wrappers. For seasoning there is an array of spices, paste, and sauce mixes that you would not find in the local grocery store. What makes this Thai Asian market special?

It is the individual attention given to each customer who walks into the store. They are greeted warmly, personal assistance is given to locate a product, and help is also provided to bring goods to your car. Additionally, you can make requests for items not found. If Kaye does not have a product that you need or must have, just ask and she will try to get it in for you. Such personal care and interest in your cooking needs is a specialty that the Thai Asian Market revels in. It is a reminder of the early days of mom and pop store down the street….small and attentive to the customers.

The Thai Asian Market has been in business since August 2008. Not many people are willing to undertake a new business venture in this economy, but the Thai Asian market has grown to a clientele of 500 to 1000 customers a month. Much of this success can be attributed to the warm and friendly atmosphere abounding in this family owned business. Located only 3 minutes west of Highway 45, customers visit from Milwaukee, West Bend, Mequon, Germantown, Brookfield and other areas in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Washington Counties. Take the time to visit the Thai Asian Market and discover the joys of shopping oriental and experience the delightful cooking of authentic Asian cuisine.

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Send your Mobile Phone Contacts and Calendar to your PC.

After spending 4 hours trying to get my mobile phone to back up on my computer using Outlook I searched the Internet for a better solution. My mobile phone uses Windows Mobile. I found out how to back my contacts up on Google using gmail and I also created a back up on my Thunderbird e-mail software. Google also has a calendar that will sync with the phone. I entered in a number of appointments on the Google calendar, synced it with my phone and it worked. The phone sets off an alarm and the Google calendar sets up a pop up on the PC. It is much easier than it sounds.

MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP YOUR CONTACTS LIST FROM YOUR PHONE BEFORE TRYING THIS PROCESS.

You will see this warning throughout the instructions. I tried to back up using Outlook for 4 hours and could not get it to work. If anything you can plug your phone into the PC through the USB and copy everything over to a folder on the PC. Just in case.

Set up a Google e-mail account with gmail.

Https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&hl=en-us&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-109a5a55d7610df0e7957ac039c47579-ed2a46d7696ce586b7fe29a45c9ba0be71a9c732&type=2&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-bk&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=new%20gmail%20account

Set up your mobile phone.

Http://www.google.com/mobile/default/sync.html

Just follow the instructions and you have a back up of your mobile phone contacts on you gmail account. The list on gmail also sets up for quick efficient printing if you want to keep a hard copy.

The Google calendar is great. I can enter appointments much quicker using the key board on my PC. To sync the PC and phone I use the home WI-Fi connection and the Activesync on my phone. All my contacts from gmail and appointments on my Google calendar are synced to the phone in less than one minute.

For more information or to contact me you can visit my website at Ez1Realty.net

For more information please feel free to contact Dennis Herman of Realty Executives 414-426-1784 or visit my Web Site at Ez1Realty.net