Real Estate Agents Career

Real Estate Careers - Advice For Real Estate Agents  You are here: About > Home & Garden > Home Buying / Selling > Real Estate Careers Home & Garden Home Buying / Selling Essentials 10 Things Home Buyers Shouldn't Do Best Tips for First Time Home Buyers "Must-Do" Tasks Before You Sell How to Buy a Home, Step by Step For Sale by Owner Advice Articles & Resources How To Buy a Home How To Sell a House Celebrity & Historic Credit Reports & Scores Design & Remodel Home Maintenance Inspections & Appraisals Investing & Foreclosures Modular & Manufactured Mold, Radon, Lead, etc. Mortgage Advice Moving & Relocation Real Estate Careers Real Estate For Sale Vacation Homes Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Home Buying Books Foreclosure Books Mortgage Books Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Home Buying / Selling newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Home Buying / Selling > Real Estate Careers Real Estate Careers - Advice for Real Estate Agents Career advice for real estate agents or anyone who wants information about a career in real estate. Helpful resources for all real estate professionals, from new real estate agents to brokers in charge. Subtopics Commission Advance (1) NAR Web Sites (35) eCards (4) Presentation Skills (8) Errors/Omissions (3) Real Estate Humor (5) Ethics (2) Real Estate License Law (29) Fair Housing (7) Real Estate News (5) Finding Clients (8) Schools (12) For Brokers in Charge (19) Software (19) Marketing Your Listings (36) Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent Safety Tips for Real Estate Agents - Real Estate Agent Careers Real estate agents have historically felt safe while performing their jobs, but the trend has shifted in recent years, with a number of agents raped, robbed and murdered while showing homes and other properties. If your office has developed agent safety policies, follow them. If it hasn't, there are several things you can do to help minimize your risks. Real Estate Careers - Special Designation Programs for Real Estate Agents Real estate agent pre-licensing classes teach you about real estate laws and customs in your state, but they don't teach you how to manage and promote your business or work effectively with consumers. For that you'll need ongoing education. Some agents choose to accomplish that by participating in one or more special designation programs. What is a Realtor? Career Advice for Real Estate Agents - Information for Consumers Some people call all real estate agents "Realtors" without realizing that not every agent can legally use the title. When join become Realtors they must agree to conduct their business in a way that adheres to the rules of the National Association of Realtors, NAR, including its Code of Ethics. Here are some Realtor basics. How to Measure and Calculate Residential Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square footage is not the figure stated when the home was advertised. Real estate agents and for sale by owner sellers can reduce their risks of lawsuit by knowing how use accepted standards to measure and calculate a home's square footage. So You Want to Become a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent, but what's your motivation? It can be a rewarding career choice, but it's definitely not a job for everyone. Here's some advice to help you determine if a career in real estate is right for you. Interviewing for a Real Estate Agent Job Looking for a real estate career? Interviewing for a real estate agent position requires different techniques than those you use when applying for most jobs. Get the facts before your interview. How To Calculate Real Estate Commissions New real estate agents sometimes aren't aware that commissions are usually shared by all agencies who participate in a sale. Here are some examples that show how commissions are split. How To Find a Job in Real Estate This simple how-to article gives you a step by step look at the process you must follow to find a job as a real estate agent. Preparing Your Sellers for Home Showings Advice for real estate agents. Take time to prepare your sellers for the realities of showing a home. When home sellers understand that a good showing might result in a good offer, they are usually willing to comply with your requests. Errors and Omissions Insurance for Real Estate Agents Get the facts about errors and omissions insurance for real estate agents. E&O is your protection from lawsuits filed by unhappy clients and customers. Deed Plotter for Windows, Review Deed Plotter for Windows is a deed description analyzer, a software program that allows you to type-in the legal description of a piece of property. The software analyzes the information, and draws the tract. Find out how this software can help you with real estate transactions. Get Your Home Sales to the Closing Table Getting a real estate sales contract doesn't signal the end of your work with that client, it's just the beginning. There's a lot more work to do before the buyer and seller meet for closing. This advice will help you get there. Sales Techniques for Real Estate Pros Successful real estate agents know that asking the right questions is an important part of working with home buyers. Use these tips to refine your sales skills.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About Oprah's Life Vacation Ideas Shop Safely Online VIDEO: Craft Rooms VIDEO: Christmas Traditions What's Hot Coping with Unethical People How To Buy Land Real Estate Appraisal Before You Buy a Log Home Package Home Buying / Selling - GuideReviews Headlines Getting Ready to Sell Your House Guests and lots of activities make it difficult to show... Before You Buy Gas Logs Gas logs are growing in popularity every year, so manufacturers... Pros and Cons of Becoming a Real Estate Agent You've decided you want to become a real estate agent,... Step-by-Step Directions Help You Measure Square Footage Each year, home owners discover that their new home's square...

Home Loans Bring Would-Be

Home Loans - Forbes.com - New Home Loans U.S. | EUROPE | ASIA Jump Select Section Home Investment Newsletters Polls & Discussions Premium Tools Special Reports Video & Audio Watchlist IT Research Library IT Product & Service Search Business -Manufacturing -Technology -Commerce -Services -Energy -Healthcare -Small Business Technology -E-Business -Enterprise Tech -Infoimaging -Personal Tech -Science & Medicine -Wireless Markets -Equities -Economy -Commodities -Bonds -Emerging Markets -Currencies Work -Careers -Compensation -Entrepreneurs -Management Lists -Companies --Forbes 500s --Forbes Global 500 --200 Best Small Cos. --400 Best Big Cos. --Largest Private Cos. -People --World's Richest People --100 Top Celebrities --400 Richest Americans --Best Paid CEOs -Places --Best Places Personal Finance -Estate Planning -Funds -Philanthropy -Retirement -Strategies -Taxes Lifestyle -Collecting -Health -Real Estate -Sport -Travel -Vehicles -Wine & Food Columnists Magazines -Forbes Magazine -Forbes Global -Forbes FYI -Forbes ASAP -Best of the Web -Archives -Subscriptions Tools About Us Contact Us Help Reprints/Permissions Sitemap Advertising Conferences Forbes Collection Forbes Mobile Special Advertising Search Quote HOME PAGE FOR THE WORLD'S BUSINESS LEADERS Home Special Advertising Section Tell Us About Your Property Loan Type * Refinance Purchase Home Debt Consolidation Home Equity Home Description * Single Family Multi Family Town House Condo Estimated Home Value * $ Select One 75,000 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 1,000,000+ 1,500,000+ 2,000,000+ Tell Us About Your Current Loan Your Mortgage Balance * $ Select One 0 1 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 15,000 15,001 - 20,000 20,001 - 25,000 25,001 - 30,000 30,001 - 35,000 35,001 - 40,000 40,001 - 45,000 45,001 - 50,000 50,001 - 55,000 55,001 - 60,000 60,001 - 65,000 65,001 - 70,000 70,001 - 75,000 75,001 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 1,000,000+ 1,500,000+ 2,000,000+ Current Interest Rate * Select 3.00 3.25 3.50 3.75 4.00 4.25 4.50 4.75 5.00 5.25 5.50 5.75 6.00 6.25 6.50 6.75 7.00 7.25 7.50 7.75 8.00 8.25 8.50 8.75 9.00 9.25 9.50 9.75 10.00 10.25 10.50 10.75 11+ % Existing Rate Type * Fixed Adjustable Fixed/Adj How Much Additional Cash do You Wish to Borrow? $ Tell Us about Your Home Purchase Is there a Specific Home You Want to Buy? * Yes No Purpose of Property * Primary Secondary Investment Vacation Property State * Select One Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Down Payment * Select One 0 1 - 5,000 5,001 - 10,000 10,001 - 15,000 15,001 - 20,000 20,001 - 25,000 25,001 - 30,000 30,001 - 35,000 35,001 - 40,000 40,001 - 45,000 45,001 - 50,000 50,001 - 55,000 55,001 - 60,000 60,001 - 65,000 65,001 - 70,000 70,001 - 75,000 75,001 - 80,000 80,001 - 85,000 85,001 - 90,000 90,001 - 95,000 95,001 - 100,000 100,001 - 105,000 105,001 - 110,000 110,001 - 115,000 115,001 - 120,000 120,001 - 125,000 125,001 - 130,000 130,001 - 135,000 135,001 - 140,000 140,001 - 145,000 145,001 - 150,000 150,001 - 155,000 155,001 - 160,000 160,001 - 165,000 165,001 - 170,000 170,001 - 175,000 175,001 - 180,000 180,001 - 185,000 185,001 - 190,000 190,001 - 195,000 195,001 - 200,000 200,001 - 210,000 210,001 - 220,000 220,001 - 230,000 230,001 - 240,000 240,001 - 250,000 250,001 - 260,000 260,001 - 270,000 270,001 - 280,000 280,001 - 290,000 290,001 - 300,000 300,001 - 310,000 310,001 - 320,000 320,001 - 330,000 330,001 - 340,000 340,001 - 350,000 350,001 - 360,000 360,001 - 370,000 370,001 - 380,000 380,001 - 390,000 390,001 - 400,000 400,001 - 420,000 420,001 - 440,000 440,001 - 460,000 460,001 - 480,000 480,001 - 500,000 500,001 - 520,000 520,001 - 540,000 540,001 - 560,000 560,001 - 580,000 580,001 - 600,000 600,001 - 620,000 620,001 - 640,000 640,001 - 660,000 660,001 - 680,000 680,001 - 700,000 700,001 - 720,000 720,001 - 740,000 740,001 - 760,000 760,001 - 780,000 780,001 - 800,000 800,001 - 820,000 820,001 - 840,000 840,001 - 860,000 860,001 - 880,000 880,001 - 900,000 900,001 - 920,000 920,001 - 940,000 940,001 - 960,000 960,001 - 980,000 980,001 - 1,000,000 Over 1,000,000 Rate Type * Fixed Adjustable Fixed/Adj Tell Us about Yourself Your Credit Profile * Excellent Good Fair Poor Annual Income Occupational Status Employed Self Employed Retired Unemployed Monthly Debt Payments Select 0-249 250-499 500-749 750-1,000 Over 1,000 Have You Declared Bankruptcy? 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By submitting your request you agree to be contacted in accordance with Secure Rights Privacy Policy . View Secure Rights licenses . Paid Advertisement Article Home Loans Bring Would-Be Homeowners Closer to their Goal If you’re looking to buy a house, it’s unlikely that, in today’s economy, you’ll be able to pay in full up front. That’s why home loans exist – to aid aspiring homeowners in acquiring and financing the homes they’ve dreamed of – without bankrupting them in the process. Home loans can be acquired through banks and home loan companies. Either route you take, you’re entitled to personal service by a representative who will review your finances, credit report, and help you decide which is the best home loan solution for your needs. In order to gather all the information they need, the bank or loan company will re-appraise the market value of your house to determine the proper loan amount. You will then work together to go over the different loan options available and determine which is best for your personal situation. Different Home Loans for Different Folks There are two main types of home loans , each with its own advantages. Fixed-rate loans divide the amount to be repaid over a set number of years. “Fixed rate” means that no matter how the interest rate fluctuates over the years, the amount of payment will remain the same. If the interest rate dips, your mortgage consultant will help you refinance to take advantage of the lower rate. In contrast, adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are dependent on the fluctuation of the interest rate over time. When the rate is low, payments are low, but when interest rates are high, the payment increases also. ARMs are slightly easier to qualify for than fixed-rate loans, but they also carry more risks. When you are choosing a home loans company, take into consideration the additional “home loan origination fee” (usually 1% of the total amount borrow, so if you borrow $100,000, the fee is $100), as well as closing, settlement and appraisal fees. Most companies will allow you to “roll” these fees into your home loan, an excellent option that allows you to pay them over time if you don’t have the funds to pay up front. When you’re ready to move forward with a home loan, or if you’d just like to start exploring your options, submit the form at the top of this page to acquire your own mortgage consultant to help you get started with the mortgage process and explain which home loans might be best for you. ^ Paid Advertisement Article ^ Ad Information        Forbes.com Wireless        Reprints / Permissions        Subscriber Services        ©2004 Forbes.com™      All Rights Reserved       Privacy Statement        Terms, Conditions and Notice Search Engine Marketing by 360i, Inc.

Real Estate Prices Still

Agricultural Economist Newsletter: Winter 2001--Farm Real Estate Prices Still Rising in Minnesota Farm Real Estate Prices Still Rising in Minnesota Steven J. Taff Average Minnesota farm real estate sales prices just keep on climbing (figure 1). This despite low output prices, rising input costs, and continued uncertainty about the future of federal subsidies. Sales price increases were seen in all parts of the state except in the northwest. In this annual sales price summary, I can provide only an overview, some cursory analysis, and--as always--a few opinions. I'll not bore you with text that simply repeats what's already shown in the charts. Instead I'll spend some time discussing how land transaction data are recorded, adjusted, and employed. I think it's useful to go through some administrative and procedural details to further our understanding of what these data are and what they are not. If this prospect makes you say, "Just show me the data, Steve," then you can stop right after the sales summary section. Or, if your impatience knows no bounds, go straight to the Minnesota Land Economics (MLE) Web site at http://apec.umn.edu/faculty/sjtaff/landdata/index.html and start working the numbers yourself. Farm Land Sales in 2000 Assessors are required to report initial assessments in late fall, based on sales data to date. That's why the data are reported on a "record year" basis: these are the sales that were, presumably, available for assessor scrutiny at the time the initial estimated market-values are calculated. Final values are set by summer, to be used in the succeeding tax year. So, for example, sales made in late 1999 are used by assessors to set initial values for January 2001. These estimates are adjusted in spring 2001, finalized in summer 2001, and then used for tax purposes in 2002. The adjusted record year 2000 sales data were therefore not available until April of this year. Figure 2 shows the distribution of all farmland sales in 2000. The bulk of the sales lie between $500 and $2,000 per acre. I excluded a small number of sales that exceeded $5,000 per acre as well as those involving parcels of land less than 20 acres in size. Both were excluded as not being plausibly "agricultural"--despite their designation on the Certificate of Real Estate Value (CRV) as "agricultural" land. (Although excluded from figure 2, these data are included in the MLE Web site data.) Even though MAE readers and MLE Web site users can view the full distribution of sales prices, most still ask for a single number that somehow captures the story behind the figures. Obviously, for a set of sales that span such a wide range in prices, any single number fails completely to accomplish this end. Movements in averages, while arithmetically correct, usually fail to tell the entire story. The particular average I use in this article is a location- and size-weighted mean (table 1). In last year's farm real estate report ( agecon.lib.umn.edu/mn/mae699.pdf ), I discussed the usefulness of such weighting as well as the desirability of examining sales data at the smallest geographic scale possible. Table 1. Minnesota farm real estate sales summary Record year Number of sales Acres sold Average price* 1996 2,504 263,728 936 1997 2,641 296,803 1,039 1998 2,724 303,968 1,113 1999 2,212 235,359 1,196 2000 2,258 250,979 1,222 * Location- and size-weighted per-acre mean Figure 1 compares the movements of actual sales price averages with those two other estimates of land value--the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) annual state estimates (based on a farmer opinion survey) and the average assessor estimates (the location- and size-weighted mean estimated market value). The University of Minnesota sales prices averages are location- and size-weighted means. The fact that all three (somewhat) independent estimates of farmland real estate values shown in figure 1 move in lockstep adds credence, I believe, to the conclusion that, on average, farmland values really are increasing in Minnesota. Geographic variations in real estate values for the past 11 years are shown in the box-and-whisker plots of figure 3. (District boundaries are shown in figure 4.) The range of sales prices for each district for each year is shown by the endpoints of the vertical lines. The ends of each box show the prices at which 25 percent of the sales were higher (or lower). The median is indicated by the horizontal bar within each box. So, for example, the median Central district farmland sale was about $1,200 per acre, with 25 percent of the sales lower than $750 and 75 percent lower than $1,850 per acre. In previous years' reports, I've noted the wide variation in average price movements among districts. Such differences were accentuated in 2000 by the continued climb of values in the South East district combined with the continued stagnation in the North West district (figure 5) . Farm Sale Data When a Minnesota property is sold, the transaction details must be recorded at the county courthouse on a form called a CRV. On it, the seller attests that such-and-such a property was sold to so-and-so on a certain date for a specific price. Other information about the property (its size, soil characteristics, prior year's estimated market value) is often entered on the CRV as well. Frequently, the per-acre prices that underlie this article and are also shown in the MLE Web site are not the prices entered on the CRV. Long before a land sales figure enters the official data base, it has been passed through an array of filters and adjustments designed to make comparison among transactions more meaningful and more reliable. Recording the Transactions There are many possible slips between an ownership change and data analysis. Of course, there is always the chance that simple recording errors are made. For example, numbers may be miscopied from bills of sale onto the CRV, or into a computer file, or into a spreadsheet. There is also a chance of misrepresentation. The person who fills in the CRV might have a reason to understate or overstate the actual sales price--perhaps to avoid a tax. This, of course, is illegal, but, as any courthouse veteran can tell you, it occasionally happens. Not every sale receives further processing. Local or state officials remove from subsequent analysis any sale not deemed "arms-length," because it was sold, for example, to a member of the seller's immediate family. Or, a sale might be pulled because the new buyer intends to convert the land to a non-agricultural use. Adjusting the Prices After this filtering, sales prices are frequently adjusted to make comparison among sales more appropriate. First, to expunge the effects of inflation, sales prices are deflated by an officially reported rate to January 2 of the year in which they were recorded. This "adjustment for time" is fairly minor in years (like the past decade) where inflation has been low. The second adjustment is "for terms." Not all farm real estate sales are for the full property. Some are made through a contract for deed, an arrangement that allows the buyer to pay a certain amount now and other amounts at stated intervals. Until the final payment is made, the property remains in the possession of the seller--even though it has been "sold." Because the full payment schedule is entered on the CRV, the Department of Revenue can calculate a present value of the initial and subsequent payments at an official discount rate. This becomes the official sales price of the property, regardless of what the buyer and seller had in mind when they sealed the deal. Adjustments don't end with a time- and terms-adjusted sales price, honestly reported and accurately recorded. In most cases, users of the data are interested in per-acre prices, not per-parcel prices. That means some chosen total price must be divided by some total acreage. But which price? Which acres? Should we use the total price or should we first subtract out the value of buildings, personal property, ancillary property, or machinery to get closer to the "true" land price? In this article (and on the MLE Web site), I choose to follow conventions established years ago in Minnesota. I report the time- and terms-adjusted total sales price, minus the value of personal property, divided by the entire acreage of the parcel. That's why, when I'm being careful, I speak of the average price of farm real estate, not of farm land . Employing the Data The sales reported here are only those recorded between October 1, 1999, and September 30, 2000. These "record year 2000" sales are so bundled because of the way real estate transactions are used to help local assessors value land for property tax purposes. Strange as it may seem, the Department of Revenue does not collect sales data merely to satisfy the data cravings of University economists like me. No, statewide sales data are collected principally to create statistics that are used to "equalize" property tax valuations across county boundaries. Each year, county assessors are required to assign an estimated market value (EMV) to each of the thousands of real estate parcels in the county. The estimate is supposed to be based on an examination of similar properties that were actually sold recently. (The combined valuations for each township, city, or county are the source of the Land Values--in contrast to the Farmland Sales--data on the MLE Web site.) Because every county has its own assessor who uses largely independent valuation procedures, there are inevitably discontinuities across county lines--even for adjacent properties. Farmer Brown wonders why Farmer Olson's land, just across the fence line in the next county, carries an assessed value that is lower by $200 per acre. The state has created an equalization procedure that is supposed to smooth over such discontinuities. Assuming that nearby properties really would sell for similar prices, any observed difference in assessed values for otherwise similar properties is presumed to be evidence that one or both of the assessors is either undervaluing (that is, assigning an EMV that is too low) or overvaluing properties. To test this, the state calculates a sales ratio (the EMV divided by sales price) for every property sold in a particular area. If an assessor systematically undervalues properties (shown by sales ratios that are consistently lower than some threshold), the state might demand the EMVs in that jurisdiction be uniformly raised, to better accord with what is thought to be "true" market conditions. How Accurate Are the EMVs? We can see for ourselves how close the final assessor estimates are by comparing actual sales prices against the previous year's estimated market values for the same property (figure 2). Each point in the figure represents one sale. For example, the rightmost point is for a property that was estimated to have a value of $4,900 per acre, but actually sold for only $2,900 per acre. While some of the estimates are obviously way off (like this example), the bulk are pretty close. In most cases, the EMV was lower than the sale price, but in a neatly predictable manner. A simple one-variable regression model, shown as the straight line in the figure, accounts for nearly 75 percent of the observed variation in farm real estate sales prices. Parting Thoughts What accounts for the ever-onward-and-upward movement of average farm real estate prices in Minnesota? We need only to round up the usual suspects, most of which I have discussed at length in previous issues of MAE . These include 1) perennial farmer optimism about future crop and livestock prices, 2) expected extensions of federal farm subsidy programs, 3) continued favorable local property tax treatment for farmland, 4) the desire of some farmers to increase the size of their current operation by buying adjacent farmland, 5) the desire of some non-farm buyers to use land as a hedge against inflation, and 6) inflation itself. An additional suspect that we need to add is the increasing prominence of location even in rural land markets. We simply can't explain current price levels on the basis of income potential (including subsidies) and speculation potential alone. Clearly, where the land sits with respect to job centers and what it looks like is influencing the price buyers are willing to pay for a particular parcel of land. As always, I caution potential land buyers and sellers about reading too much into the average land prices reported here and elsewhere. If you've got land to sell or if you have a hankering to buy land--look before you leap. The financial stakes are too high for casual empiricism. Hire an appraiser. Talk with your spouse. Check your finances. Think about the children. Be careful out there! Steven J. Taff is an associate professor and extension economist with the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. Return to Minnesota Ag Economist Newsletter Index Page University of Minnesota Extension Service HomePage

Home Mortgage

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We support numerous community initiatives and encourage employees to participate in a range of worthy causes. >> Learn More Hurricane Katrina/Rita Assistance Ameriquest is committed to helping those affected by the hurricanes. Customers: If you have an Ameriquest loan and you have been impacted by the hurricanes, please call (800) 430-5262. >> Read More Associates: We are concerned about the well-being of our associates and we’re standing by to assist. If we haven’t been in contact with you since the disaster, please contact us at (800) 640-5262. Ameriquest has partnered with HomeAid. Join us in contributing to the Gulf Coast Rebuilding Fund. Use Our Online Calculators To: CONSOLIDATE YOUR DEBT PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE BY RETIREMENT REFINANCE AND GET CASH BACK LEARN WHAT YOUR CREDIT CARDS ARE COSTING YOU Find a Local Branch We have more than 150 locations nationwide. Zip Code AsSeen in Money Magazine Mortgages 101: A Pocket Guide to Netting the Mortgage That's Right for You >> DownloadNow Best Practices Ameriquest is leadingthe industry with their Best Practices Policy. >> ReadMore Ameriquest Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender. Licensing | Legal © 2005 Ameriquest Mortgage Company. Trade/servicemarks are the property of Ameriquest Mortgage Company and/or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Ameriquest Mortgage Company, 1100 Town & Country Rd. Suite 1100, Orange, California 92868. (714) 541-9960. Refinance with Ameriquest Mortgage Company Ameriquest Mortgage Company specializes in refinance loans, homemortgage loans, and new home purchases. Ameriquest Mortgage can help you consolidate your debt and lower your monthly payments , evenif you have less than perfect credit or bad credit . Ameriquest Mortgage gives you everything you need to get the loan that's right for you – including your own Personal Mortgage Specialist . Fill out our easy loan request form and a local Mortgage Specialist will contact you about your loan options .They'll help you fill out all your paperwork, even your loan application . Refinance Now Refinance now while mortgage rates are still low. Getthe cash you need to make home improvements and consolidatedebt . Your overall monthly payments will be reduced and mayeven be tax deductible . Compare our interest rates with other top mortgage lenders such as ING Direct , eLoan , Countrywide , New Century , Full Spectrum , Ditech.com , and IndyMac Bank . Ameriquest Mortgage is a sponsor of Major League Baseball(MLB) including these teams: Padres, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Mariners,Twins, Orioles, Nationals, Mets, Astons, Rangers, Marlins and the DevilRays. Ameriquest Mortgage is a sponsor of the New York Jets National Football League (NFL) team. Ameriquest Mortgage is the sponsor of the Miller Lite / Ameriquestdragster, driven by Larry Dixon and owned by Don "the Snake"Prudhomme for the NHRA . Ameriquest Mortgage is the title sponsor of the Ameriquest300 NASCAR Busch Series race (September 3, 2006 at California Speedway.) Ameriquest Mortgage Company is proud to present the RollingStones A Bigger Bang Tour. The tour will visit more than 25 citiesin North America and kicked off August 21 in Boston's Fenway Park. Enterour sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for two to see RollingStones live in concert. The LuisMiguel Mexico En La Piel Tour is presented by Ameriquest MortgageCompany . As seen in Money Magazine . Download ourMortgages 101 booklet. This pocket guide will help you find the mortgagethat's right for you. At Ameriquest , we support numerous nonprofit initiatives includingHabitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Fulfillment Fund.Ameriquest also has 2 airships (blimps), AmeriquestAirship 'Freedom' and AmeriquestSoaring Dreams Airship . You may have also seen our Do the Math Infomercial with Chuck Woolery where the benefits of Refinancing are easy as 1, 2, 3. Calculate how much you can lower your monthlypayments by refinancing – and hear from real people who'vedone it themselves. Ameriquest Mortgage offers other consumer tools including a MortgageDictionary , and various mortgage calculators . Find AmeriquestMortgage.com and Ameriquest.com on themajor search engines and sites such as Google , Yahoo , MSN , AOL , Ask Jeeves , and Ebay . Ameriquest has over 150 local branches nationwide andoffers local branch listings includingdirections served by MapQuest . To request a loan , you canvisit one of our local branches , call us toll free at 800-397-9937or click here .

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Venice Florida real estate Sarasota FL real estate - Christy Middleton Your Venice Florida real estate expert serving real estate in Venice Osprey Nokomis sarasota and Siesta Key Each Office Independently Owned & Operated 1314 East Venice Avenue Venice, Florida 34285 Office: Christy: Angie: Home Ofc: Fax: (941) 954-5454 (941) 468-2296 (941) 650-2883 (941) 966-7808 (941) 918-0631 middleton-team@venicefl-realestate.com Introducing Our Team Search for Homes Visitor's Guide Our Buyer Services Our Seller Services ABC's of Real Estate Request Free Info Site Map TEAM Middleton is the RE / MAX Properties professional real estate team in the Sarasota real estate and Venice real estate markets including Siesta Key, Lido Key, Casey Key, Longboat Key & St Armands Key. We list and sell golf course and waterfront homes and condos for families, seniors and retirees in the Sarasota - Bradenton - Venice Florida area including Longboat Key Siesta Key & Casey Key. We spend a great deal of time showing and selling Venice real estate; both resale and new-construction homes in the many new planned communities throughout Sarasota County, FL. Information provided here is believed to be accurate & timely but is not warranted. This Venice Florida real estate website best viewed at 800 x 600 screen resolution. © 2003 - 2005 All names & logos are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Website design & hosting by Steel Toed Other Real Estate Resources: Real Estate Resource Directory Real Estate Resources AL - AR Real Estate Resources - CA Real Estate Resources CO - DE Real Estate Resources FL - GA Real Estate Resources HI - MO Real Estate Resources MN - SC Real Estate Resources SD - WY Mortgage and Int'l Real Estate Resources Other Real Estate Resources Florida Realtors Reals.com LinkPartners.com National REALTOR Directory RealEstate4.com - The Largest Real Estate Directory Real-Estate-Agents.com InternetRealtyNetwork.com We participate in the World City Pages Siesta Key Florida Program We Buy Ugly houses for cash Click below to vote for this as a "Hot Site." Indexed by State