San Antonio's Rockstar Turned Realtor®

Is there a new 3.8% "sales tax" on real estate in the Health Care Bill?

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:43:09 -0400

3.8% Real Estate Sales Tax - True or False?

You may have received an email or heard something on Twitter about the 3.8% real estate sales tax that has recently been brought up as an issue with the Health Care Bill (HR 3200). In the emails, the tax is railed against and brought up as an absolute for all Americans selling their homes.

But wait...maybe we should dig further. Is it true? Is it kind of true? Is it blatantly false? Does it lie somewhere in between? Seems this is just another case of email first, tell the truth later.

There is indeed a 3.8% tax in the Health Care Bill. It, however, is incorrectly labeled as a sales tax. It is called a Medicare tax in the legislation and I know we're splitting hairs here, but I think it's important to mention as the use of specific words like this are calculated and planned by people to manipulate people's emotions.

This tax however, does not single out real estate, rather it is a tax on investment income. The key to everything is how the numbers are calculated on whether or not the tax applies to you. The 3.8% Medicare tax is designed to only affect so-called "high earners" and not everyone will pay the tax upon the sale of their home.

The Tax Facts

There is a new 3.8% tax in the bill.
It is not a "sales tax" on all real estate transactions.
It is a Medicare tax.
Many people will not have to pay this tax.
It is going to affect so-called "high earners."
It is not going affect many people.
The tax comes into effect in 2013.

"High Earners" - Who are they?

The income requirement for so-called "high earners" are spelled out in the new law: $250,000 for married couples filed jointly, $125,000 for couples filing separately, and $200,000 for all others. If you earn more than these benchmarks, you are a "high earner" and therefor subject to the new 3.8% tax, but what you are taxed on helps further eliminate many people.

How is the tax calculated?

One of the emails I've seen states that on the sale of a $400,000 home, you would pay $15,200 as a real estate sales tax (3.8% x $400,000). This is incorrect. There are two incorrect assumptions by the authors of the email; a) that the Medicare tax is based off of sales price alone and b) it applies to everyone (which we know to be false based on the "high earner" income requirement).

The incorrect assumption that the real estate sales tax (aka the Medicare tax) is calculated based on the sales price of the home makes a huge difference. Instead, the tax is calculated based on profit. As investment income, the profit is the sale price minus the initial investment. Going back to the $400,000 home mentioned earlier, let's assume you paid $350,000 for it. You profited $50,000. Based on that, your tax would be $1,900 (3.8% x $50,000). Much better than $15,200, right?

But wait, there's one more piece of the puzzle.

Okay, so you owe $1,900, which isn't that bad in the overall scheme of things. But wait...do you owe $1,900? The answer is a resounding no. Why? Because of the capital gains threshold that is included in the language. You are only charged the 3.8% Medicare tax if your investment income passes the capital gains threshold. How much is that? The capital gains threshold is $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly.

This means that profit over the $500,000 or $250,000 (depending on your marital status) would be taxed at the 3.8% rate (you would still need to be classified a "high earner"). In our $400,000 example above, where you walked away with $50,000 in profit, you would not be taxed. The $50,000 is below the capital gains threshold.

Want to see more examples with calculations? Visit "3.8% “Real Estate Sales Tax” thanks to Health Care Legislation?"

Although this topic has political implications, the intent of the post is not to debate opinions about the health care bill, taxes, or politics in general. No matter what you believe politically, the post is designed to inform - not to debate, attack, or throw mud at those that don't agree with you. I ask that all visitors respect that on my blog. There are plenty of political forums where that is acceptable and I encourage you to visit them if you wish to discuss such matters. Thanks in advance - Matt

photo courtesy of Listener42

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Where do I start? At the end of course.

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:24:04 -0400

End. Beginning. Beginning. End.

Life. Death. Endless circles...alright, I'll cut the nonsense. I'm here to wish you all farewell. I'm leaving ActiveRain. My reasons are varied, but none are earth shattering. There is no sudden "I hate ActiveRain" swagger down here in San Antonio. No, in fact I leave with good memories of my time here. From meeting new friends, to learning new things, to debating with some of the best of them on the issues that our industry faces everyday. I've loved all (well, almost all) of my time here.

I credit ActiveRain with really helping me find a voice in real estate blogging...the voice was mine, but the platform was ActiveRain (although I must credit AgentGenius for really giving me my first blogging opportunities). I grew up a lot here in ActiveRain - figuring out who I wanted to be as a real estate agent and gained a bit of notoriety doing it. My posts here have gained me attention in many different circles - from our industry to the press to consumers.

My leaving is not a reflection on the company (although until they remove the check photos, I will continue to have a problem with the message they are sending) and I wish them nothing but continued success, particularly as they transition to their new form without Jon. As for the staff, past and present, I hope to meet you all somewhere down the line - some of you have been more than just the "people that work at ActiveRain" and far exceeded my expectations many times. As for the connections with agents and others in our industry - I'll always value those and I hope you'll continue to say hello and offer your thoughts on my other blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and whatever else is yet to be invented.

There's a million places you can find me online and soon there will be more. As I focus my energy, I truly do hope to see you all out there in the great world wide web (do they still call it that?).

I wrote my first blog here on November 3, 2008. The title? "A new day is dawning..." I thought the photo I selected for my last post might make up for the lack of one in my first. A circle if you will. End. Beginning. Beginning. End.

From that very same article, a quote:

I like to share what I know, learn what I don't, and mull over everything in between.

I think I lived up to that quote quite well and I give you my promise to continue to do so.

Epilogue.

I'm sure some people might speculate that I am leaving to pursue some project outside of real estate, but I'm not. I'm still here, right where I've always been. My shift in focus is designed to concentrate my activities and thoughts into a more powerful stream. There will still be multiple blogs, but some uses of my time and brain power had to be evaluated, judged, and weighed on the scale. RErockstar will continue on, much as it probably will for many, many years. San Antonio Rocks will continue to be a view into the city I call home. "I saw it in San Antonio." will continue to show bits and pieces of my life through my iPhone. But there is more. Some of it quietly revealed recently on Facebook, some of it merely hinted at. I have much more to get out of this skull of mine, so expect to hear more...you'll just have to be listening in the right places.

photo courtesy of law_keven

I don't know what will happen to my posts, but I have backed them all up. I guess after I pass the 90 day mark, my account will cease to exist and the lights will go dark. It'll be a bit melancholy when it happens, but I'll make it just fine.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Selling Your Soul For Success?

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:53:38 -0400

I'm happy for your success.

I love knowing when people around me, people I like, are being successful. I love a good rags to riches success story. I love the triumph of a person who sets their sights on success and reaches (and often surpasses) their goals.

ActiveRain success stories are always great and I've written them myself. Recently though, I've found myself struggling with the thought of the success stories being posted on the main page. Each story is accompanied by a smiling agent holding the check they received after their success story wrapped up. There's everything from referral stories to blog success stories to members touting how ActiveRain expanded their business.

It's not the success that I struggle with. It's the check. In one photograph, an entire successful transaction is boiled down to a simple string of numbers with a dollar sign attached to it. The entire client relationship and work put into the transaction put into dollars and sense. ROI. Quantified and filed away into a database. Stamped with a "PAID" marker and cashed, deposited, invested, or spent. I am not a number.

Now before you argue that we don't work for free...hear me out.

ActiveRain

ActiveRain is a business. Their job is to get people to sign up and generate income for their company by selling the product and service that is ActiveRain. In doing so, they need to show value. A check in an agent's hand definitely holds a certain value to them as a company. It's proof positive that there is value to spending time on ActiveRain. Fair enough.

Here's where my thinking deviates. ActiveRain - is it for our industry or for the consumer? We all know there's value on both sides - or if we don't, we've at least heard the argument for one or the other or both. So let's break it down into two sides...

...for our industry.

There's an obvious advantage to the network of real estate industry professionals here at ActiveRain. As one of them, I look at the success stories and it compels me to continue writing, creating relationships, and building a referral base which I know I can always rely on to help my clients and perhaps send me business. The check is the value. It says "if you join ActiveRain, you can get business." I like business. I like it a lot.

...for the consumer.

To view ActiveRain from a consumer's viewpoint isn't always easy. I'm too close to it. I'm involved. One of my driving forces is to look at everything in our industry from the consumer's view. I'm not always perfect at it, but I do work hard to keep it at the forefront of everything I think and do. So I'm a consumer looking for local information - I google away and find some great blog posts on a site (ActiveRain) I've never heard of. What's the first thing I do? Go to the main page. What greets me and catches my attention first? A photo of a smiling agent who is flashing the cash. I'm no dummy, I know that agents get paid and don't work for free...but the first impression I have is an agent waving their check that they just earned. Do I read the success story and see why they're holding the check? Maybe, maybe not.

Perception as truth.

In an industry that it constantly battling with consumer opinion and public perception, the check represents everything wrong with our industry if you're already on the edge of deciding whether to place us above or below lawyers in your list of people you like least (sorry to my lawyer friends, but you have the same problems).

I know my clients are always thrilled when we close a transaction and (something I never thought would matter to them) they often ask, "hey, did you get your check yet" when we speak after closing. They actually want to be sure I got paid. They do want me to make money. The difference? They are clients. We've built a friendship, a relationship, a trust...we are connected.

If I were a stranger, looking for an agent (and this is my personal thought) and I saw a photo of you smiling like a lottery winner, I would pass right by you. In fact, I'd probably perceive you to be what I don't like about real estate agents. I know from personal conversations (as an agent) that some of the agents I've seen in the success story column are good people who care for their clients. As a consumer though? I wouldn't give you a second thought. The truth is they are good people and excellent agents. The perception doesn't necessarily align with those thoughts.

But perception is truth...until it is given time to conform to the real truth. That times time, trust, and connection. Something you don't get with a picture of an agent holding a check.

photo curtest of Daquella manera

Please note: I'm all for celebrating our successes and don't deny that without those checks, we wouldn't be agents. I lived in the world of rock and roll where I was expected to do everything for free (post-Napster) and although I had a passion for what I did, the truth was it had to put dinner on the table and gas in the car or it wasn't possible. Money may not be everything or bring happiness or whatever cliched phrase you want to use, but let's face it - we need that money to continue to do what we do, passionate or not.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

San Antonio: What are you doing this weekend?

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:28:43 -0400

11935 Travis Path - The Hills at Alamo Ranch - Open House

Stop by this weekend, March 26th and 27th, from 12-4 to view 11935 Travis Path, a gorgeous five bedroom, three bath home in The Hills at Alamo Ranch. See what makes this home an incredible value on the city's northwest side.

On Saturday, ActiveRain's very own Jeanna Martinez will be hosting the open house. Jeanna is well known for her open houses - providing visitors with a friendly chat, lots of knowledge, and a bit of Texas twang.

On Sunday, I will be hosting the open house - so come prepared to ask questions about real estate, the home, and tell the sellers you're ready to make an offer! If you haven't seen the home yet, this is the perfect time.

Want more information on the home before you jot it down in your weekend schedule? Visit www.11935TravisPath.com for all the latest information about the home, the local area, and the neighborhood of the Hills at Alamo Ranch.

11935 Travis Path - San Antonio - 78253

The Hills at Alamo Ranch

$299,000 - 5 bedroom - 3 bath - 4,570 square feet

March 26th and 27th (Saturday and Sunday)

Noon - 4 PM

(210) 646-HOME

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Rockstars and Real Estate at The Hip Roof - Monday 1PM (Eastern) Webinar with Matt Stigliano

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:34:06 -0500

What do rock and roll and real estate have in common?

Me. If you've known me for awhile, you probably now that I don't just call myself "rerockstar" because it sounds good. It's actually rooted in my past. This week, Monday March 7th, join us at The Hip Roof at 1PM (Eastern) as Maya Paveza grills me on rockstars and real estate.

The Hip Roof held their first webinar last week with ActiveRain's Ben Kinney and it was a an hour full of interesting facts and information about what makes Ben Kinney tick and how he's using different tools - traditional and technological - to increase his business.

If you haven't signed up for The Hip Roof yet, come and check it out. The forums are active and full of agents asking and answering questions - sharing ideas and thoughts on how to utilize today's tools and grow your business. There's even a bit of fun. Of course, I'd be crazy not to mention The Devil's Avocado, my blog about all the ideas and thoughts on the real estate industry. Part confessional, part ravings of a madman, it's a blog I've had in my head for too long. So come join us over at The Hip Roof and bring your questions to the webinar on Monday at 1PM (Eastern). I'll be there - will you?

Disclosures: CMP.ly/2 and CMP.ly/5

I recently posted this photo of a much younger Mark McGrath and I on Facebook, thought I'd share it with you here.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Alamo Ranch - Price Reduced on 11935 Travis Path!

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:04:42 -0500

11935 Travis Path

SAN ANTONIO, TX

Price reduced! Beautifully maintained, spacious home in The Hills at Alamo Ranch. This 5 bedroom, 3 bath home has 4,570 square feet of living space.

5BR/3BA Single Family House

$299,000

Year Built 2007 Sq Footage 4,570 Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 3 full, 0 partial Floors 2 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 0.2033 acres HOA/Maint $40 per month

Description

Spacious 5 bedroom, 3 bath home in Alamo Ranch is ready for move in. Located in The Hills at Alamo Ranch, this home offers convenience of access with no city taxes. Enjoy the gorgeous kitchen with granite and stainless steel or catch a movie in the custom media room. Meritage no longer builds homes this large in this community - this is your chance to own one! Only $62.95/sq ft - a bargain in Alamo Ranch!

Property Features

Central A/CCentral heatFireplaceWalk-in closetTile floorFamily roomLiving roomBonus/Rec roomOffice/DenDining roomBreakfast nookDishwasherStove/OvenGranite countertopStainless steel appliancesLaundry area - insideBalcony, Deck, or PatioYard

Community Features

Garage parkingClubhouseSwimming pool(s)Tennis court(s)Playground

Additional Photos

11935 Travis Path

Living Room

Master Bedroom

Kitchen

Bedroom

Backyard

Contact Info

Matt StiglianoRE/MAX Access(210) 240-6222 For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Need more information? Visit us at 11935TravisPath.com

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Ben Kinney Webinar start at 1PM (Eastern) at The Hip Roof

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:05:23 -0500

Experts Series Interviews with Ben Kinney at 1PM Eastern at The Hip Roof

Benn Kinney, who you all know by now, will be the first Experts Series Interview at The Hip Roof today (February 28th) at 1PM Eastern. This is a members only webinar and knowing Ben's work with things like the Ten Days of Pain, it should be a good time.

To register, you must be a member at The Hip Roof and register for the webinar (details are in the Forums under "Webinar").

I'll see you there!

Disclosures: CMP.ly/2 and CMP.ly/5

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

The Hip Roof - For Real Estate Agents by Real Estate Agents

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:46:50 -0500

All these agents under one Hip Roof.

The Hip Roof is here. A website for real estate agents, built and maintained by real estate agents. No vendors, no advertisers, no agendas. A place to share your real estate knowledge, learn something new, discuss the latest trends, and talk shop. A place that you can call home. A place that has only just begun to get started.

What can you expect from The Hip Roof? Webinars, training, advice, opinions, knowledge, and networking - all from real estate agents who want to share their experiences and learn from each other.

The Hip Roof is about to open its doors.

Tonight at 10:30PM (I believe it's Eastern time), The Hip Roof will close its doors on their soft launch and begin its life as a full-fledged membership site (don't quote me on the time, I don't run the show). Tomorrow the price goes up, but until then you can get in under the soft launch price. You can even get a sneak peak for the rest of the day.

Webinars Every Monday at 1PM

Tomorrow is the first in the series of Expert Series Interviews and features a name ActiveRain members should be familiar with by now - Ben Kinney. Every week a new webinar will be recorded (I've been invited to do one next month!) and offered to members. Have someone or something you'd like to see covered - just ask The Hip Roof, at the end of the day, it's all about the real estate community.

Want to blog for your industry?

These won't be blogs about local events and places like here on ActiveRain - these will be focused solely on our industry and the thoughts behind it. You'll even get to read my latest, The Devil's Avocado. I've been dreaming up this blog for sometime now and have already started plotting and scheming on future topics. My latest entry, "Discarding the Code of Ethics" is sure to ruffle a few feathers.

Have a question you need answered now?

The Hip Roof Forum is the life-blood of the site. A place where agents can gather and help each other out, whether it's about social media, coaching, or legal issues (and much more). There are some great things being shared in there and there's much more to come (I've seen some sneak previews of ideas and it's pretty incredible what the site is capable of).

It's time to pickup your keys and enter The Hip Roof.

Take a peek at what's going on and sign up, The Hip Roof is going to be one amazing adventure for all of us.

Disclosures: CMP.ly/2 and CMP.ly/5

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

The Lones Group and the Real Estate Zebra: Is the trademark worth more than your social capital?

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:27:46 -0500

The Lones Group sues Realtor® Daniel Rothamel aka The Real Estate Zebra.

By now you've heard the news, aptly called The Stripes Heard Round the World in one of the many posts I've read over the last twenty four hours. Real estate marketing company The Lones Group filed a complaint against Daniel "Real Estate Zebra" Rothamel for his use of zebra-related branding and marketing.

Like most real estate industry professionals, I'm not a lawyer, so I won't comment on the merit of the suit or opine over what constitutes trademark infringement. Most agents who are posting about this are agreeing on one thing:

The Lones Group made a big mistake.

Daniel Rothamel is well known in the industry (particularly the real estate blogger subset) as the Real Estate Zebra. His knowledge of blogging and social media have made him a speaker, mentor, and guide to many of us. I relate to Daniel's branding because of our use of non-real estate items to help market ourselves and set us apart from others. I have know him as the Zebra since the day we met online. I think I even called him Zebra when I met him in real life. Daniel Rothamel and Real Estate Zebra are synonymous in my book.

What The Lones Group complaint has done is shed light on a company for all the wrong reasons. I had never heard of The Lones Group or its services, despite being the target market (a Realtor®) for them. Perhaps they are excellent at what they do. I won't ever know. While Daniel's friendship matters to me, there's more to it than that. I don't like lawsuits (in my rockstar days we were nearly sued to death at one point - preventing us from touring America for quite some time). I don't like lawsuits that seem (from my view) to be aimed at garnering a few bucks. Daniel works with consumers. The Lones Group works with Realtors®. Although one might argue they are in the same industry (real estate as a whole), they are doing two vastly different things.

While The Lones Group mounts their attack on the Real Estate Zebra, the social media world is abuzz with the news. Too bad for The Lones Group that it has mostly been negative. Knowing when your social capital is worth more than your trademark is the key in this one. Even if they were to win the lawsuit against Daniel, would it be worth the damage to their social capital? I know I won't be using their services anytime soon (in all fairness, I probably wouldn't anyway). Now, when I hear the name The Lones Group, I will forever be reminded of the day my friend, Daniel Rothamel, was sued. That's not an image I would want as a company. They might think it's no big deal, as I am just one person, but this sentiment is being echoed over and over again across the internet. Even a Google search for "lones group" is starting to be filled with posts like this one. Would you want that as your only search result? I wouldn't.

Two great posts written about the case:

"The Lones Group v. Rothamel: A case study in destroying your on-line reputation" - Jay Thompson (he's also building a list of blog posts, so this will be a great resource on the case as it goes on)

"The Lones Group Lesson: Destroying Your Brand Online" - Jeff Bernheisel (this is an excellent read and I think Jeff breaks down the case for "is it worth it" with great conviction)

And of course, I wrote a post over at RErockstar.com - "Lones Group sues Daniel “Real Estate Zebra” Rothamel"

You can see the entire complaint over at the Zebra Defense Fund (and make donations to Daniel's legal defense).

photo courtesy of mape_s

Need a #savethezebra badge for your ActiveRain blog? Get the code below and insert it in My Home>Settings>Blog Description. I will also be posting a Wordpress widget code for the #savethezebra badge (with PayPal link for donations) over at RErockstar.com (feel free to use and distribute).

HTML Code for ActiveRain Blogs - #savethezebra

Cut and paste it into your blog sidebar.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Surviving Your Serengeti - Stefan Swanepoel - Business Book Review

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:32:58 -0500

7 Skills to Master Business and Life

I was going to reblog ActiveRain's post about the Surviving Your Serengeti Challenge, but reblog is currently down. As you can read in my comment, I received an advance copy of the book and I thought the book was an excellent read - both as a story and as a business book. Stefan definitely has a way with words, no doubt about that.

What I liked most about the book was that as I read through the tale of the epic journey the animals of the Serengeti take (often rated as the number one natural wonder of the world), I was enjoying it as a story. An interesting Discovery Channel-esque look at one of the few places on earth I have yet to go. By the end of the book, I was trying to figure out how to convince Stefan to take me on his next Serengeti trip.

But there was more to it than that. Yes, I enjoyed the story, but all along the way, I was beginning to make connections to business through the parable that Stefan was spinning. Parable is a tough art form, it takes skill to connect two seemingly non-related items and (this is the key) have the reader make the connections without much explanation. The goal of a good parable is to have the reader do the connecting and then reinforce it at later points with examples. Stefan not only accomplishes this, he excels at it.

What Animal Are You?

Throughout the book, Stefan references seven animals and their particular skills and behaviors in the most incredible annual migration on earth. As each animal plays its part in the journey, each plays a role in the modern world of business and life - each animal defines a certain set of characteristics and thought patterns that we all possess. Are you the strategic lion or the enterprising crocodile (of which I am a member)? Are you the graceful giraffe or the enduring wildebeest? Each animal has a role to play and by knowing the roles of the other animals that surround them, they can better use their skills to perform their functions on the Serengeti.

Take the quiz yourself and find out What Animal Am I?

A few personal words about Stefan: If you've never seen him speak on real estate trends, I suggest you find the nearest place he's doing one of his presentations and register to attend. After culling through mountains of data, Stefan nails the trends and influences on our industry like you wouldn't believe. This year, he'll be expanding to look at the global market, which is sure to be an interesting look at where we are and where we're going. I've never met him personally, although I was standing about five feet away from him once, but he's shown himself via social media to be wickedly funny, extremely responsive, and both knowledgeable and willing to share. You can learn a lot from this man (and the ladies love his accent).

After you've read the chapters available through ActiveRain, head on over and buy the book (you can advance order it as well): Surviving Your Serengeti: 7 Skills to Master Business and Life [this is an affiliate link to Amazon.com - it helps fuel my iPad fund]

Disclosure: CMP.ly/1 and CMP.ly/5

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

No one is listening to you on Social Media.

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:17:46 -0500

Or are they?

I had a great conversation with a new friend the other day and it drove home some thoughts and beliefs I already had, but know that many people struggle with when it comes to social media. If no one connects or responds, are we making an impact? If no one comments on our blog post, does that mean no one likes it or found value in it? If a Tweet goes out and no one mentions it ever again, did anyone even read it?

You can read the original post, Social Media: Where is everyone? on my site, but I wanted to share it with ActiveRain as well.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Our friend and fellow ActiveRain member Clint Miller.

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:46:50 -0500

I'll keep my words to a minimum as I've said much of what I needed to on Facebook, Twitter, and on my own blog, but if you know Clint Miller, you'll know why posting this video means a lot to me. I hate cancer and I want Clint and his family to know we're out here. We all know Clint is a tough one, but our support is needed.

Please, take a moment to visit the Clint Miller Benefit site and please donate what you can. His family is bringing us reports as often as they can on Clint's condition.

Cancer is stupid.

Facebook Group - Clint Miller (@TheRealClint) Prayer Board

Twitter Hashtag - #weloveclint

Donate Now (all donations go directly to Clint's wife, Angela Miller)

There are many great blog posts being written with Clint in mind and Jay Thompson, Phoenix Real Estate Guy, is keeping track of them all on his post When Bad Things Happen to Great People. Clint Miller needs help.

Please support Clint and his family in any way you can.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Punk Rock and the New Agent - Friendship and Family - Xplode Austin

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 12:42:31 -0500

Download the complete slideshow from the Xplode website.

Friendship and Family - Community Amongst Realtors® and Punks.

Punk was not a mainstream movement. Disregarding the commercial system of the music industry, punk had to find it's own way to build both fans and a distribution network for their music. In order to sustain their own survival, punks had to build friendship and family amongst themselves, their fans, and the various related industries (record stores, promoters and venues, college radio, etc.).

With real estate, we are constantly building community; whether amongst our peers and the related industries or our clients and residents of the local area. In order to succeed and excel in our industry we must network, build trust, and become the center of a community that values what we have to offer.

Our need and desire to build this community spirit is vital to our industry and our careers.

For punk rock, this sense of friendship and family was deeply rooted in protectionism. As the "odd" kids in music, punk stood out like a sore thumb and as is the case with many things that disassociate with the mainstream, punk had no choice but to band together and support each other. For real estate, I think it's less about protectionism and more about a desire to build a better industry. Although we all function under the banner of independent contractor and are free to conduct business how we wish, there is a common thread that binds us all together as an industry.

The foundation of all we do.

The spirit of friendship and family in our industry comes in many forms, but it is the core foundation of much of what we do. Sharing new ideas or discussing thoughts and concepts of real estate, blogging about the latest laws or changes in the mortgage industry, calling an agent when they have a good week or a bad week, helping the families of agents when disaster strikes, reaching out to another agent to say thanks for a referral...I could go on and on with examples of how we are a community. We function as friends, family, and peers. In order to improve our industry we must always continue and expand upon this key fact.

It may seem rather obvious that this is true and we all function under this theory, but the purpose of this section is to reinforce this fact and have a reference point for all my other points. Without the sense of friendship and family keeping us tied together, we lose the foundation of all other concepts of real estate in regards to punk rock.

This post is meant to explore some of the ideas in my presentation, "Punk Rock and the New Agent" from Xplode Austin and is part of a series covering each of my slides in the presentation one at a time.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Xplode Austin - Punk Rock and the New Agent

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 11:06:11 -0500

What does punk rock have to do with real estate?

I was honored to be given a chance to present at Xplode in Austin this week and as promised, I wanted to cover my slides a bit more in depth. The conference was geared around real estate technology, but with so many great speakers covering so many aspects of the technology we use (or should be using), I thought I would go at things from a different angle and speak about some of the lessons I learned from my music career and my love of music growing up, particularly punk rock.

Punk rock represented a certain freedom to me and many of the attitudes and skills that small punk rock bands employed gave me a lot of ideas when I was first starting out as a new agent. I had little money, but plenty of time on my hands, so I had to think creatively about my career, my brand, and how to xplode my business.

If you missed Xplode Austin or it was too far away for you to travel to, don't worry - Xplode is heading out on a 2011 tour and new cities are being announced. A day jam-packed with great speakers, new information, opportunities for networking, and a huge dose of fun and rock and roll.

Punk Rock and the New Agent - Slide Breakdown

Friendship and Family - Punk Rock and the New Agent

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."

Why Many Realtors Should Refer Their Short Sale Listings To Specialists

Matt Stigliano (Becker Properties (210) 646-HOME) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 08:06:30 -0500

It never hurts to have public discourse.

Dave Halpern, a Louisville short sale agent, wrote this post a few days ago and at first, I thought it was lacking. Why? Because I have a bit of a problem with the word expert at times. The word is important and I do believe we should all strive to be experts in our field, but often I feel the word is used without a basis in logic or fact.

I (along with a few others) mentioned this in our comments to Dave's post and as you can see from his comment, he took what we said into consideration and added a paragraph to his post. This to me, is the beauty of blogging on an open forum where we can discuss, dissect, learn, and grow.

Thanks Dave for being open to change. I appreciate it and I'm sure your clients do too!

Via Dave Halpern - Louisville Short Sale Expert (Louisville Short Sale Expert Realtors (502) 664-7827):

If a Realtor is not a short sale specialist, he/she should refer their short sale to a local Realtor who is.

The client-centric reason: It is the responsible thing to do for the client.

The Realtor-centric reason: Someone else does the stressful heavy lifting and the referring Realtor gets paid a referral fee.

The Importance of a Short Sale on the Client's Emotional and Financial Health

We have all heard that buying or selling a house is the biggest transaction for most consumers. The importance of that transaction is eclipsed by the magnitude of a foreclosure or short sale.

The expertise of the short sale Realtor will determine the outcome. A successful short sale enables the seller to avoid foreclosure and sell their house with dignity.

Far Reaching Implications

A successful short sale vs. a foreclosure has far reaching implications, including but not limited to:

Debt forgiveness vs. deficiency judgments

Credit score implications

Reduced length of time until a new mortgage can be obtained

The need, or lack of need, for a bankruptcy, whether it is pre-foreclosure or post-foreclosure bankruptcy

The emotional advantage of avoiding foreclosure vs. going through a foreclosure

Tax implications

Potential loss of security clearance for certain employment

Referring a Short Sale Does NOT Indicate Weakness or an Admission of a Shortcoming

The sellers need to move on with their lives. Not every Realtor is trained and organizationally set up to handle short sales. That is OK. That doesn’t make the Realtor a bad Realtor. It just means that she or he doesn’t specialize in short sales, just like the short sales Realtor may not specialize in condos, commercial property, mobile homes, horse farms or a multitude of other real estate specialties.

Referring a Short Sale Listing to a Specialist Shows High Level of Responsibility and Loyalty to the Client

Referring a short sale listing actually shows a high level of responsibility and loyalty to the seller. Rather than diminish the seller's chances of a favorable outcome, the Realtor will refer their short sale to an expert who consistently delivers results.

Realtors Who Are Aspiring to Become Specialists Should First Get Highly Trained and Should Have Mentors

For the aspiring short sale Realtor, all short sale listings are an opportunity to hone your craft. The road to becoming a specialist includes getting comprehensive training on the fundamentals, plus never-ending continuous advanced training. In the beginning, one must be coached and mentored, so not to sacrifice your clients during the learning curve period.

Dave Halpern

Real Estate Broker, Louisville Short Sale Expert Realtors

(502) 664-7827

************************************************************************************

Sellers looking for foreclosure help in Louisville, KY should call Dave Halpern, Realtor, Louisville Short Sale Expert Realtors, (502) 664-7827. I will dedicate to you all the time you need for a full explanation of the process. We are compassionate, caring and patient. I will listen to your needs and wishes and customize a strategy to meet your circumstances.

I will provide you detailed information about foreclosure options and short sales. We help dozens of sellers avoid foreclosure every single year in Louisville, Jefferson County, Oldham County, Bullitt County, Shelby County, Nelson County and Spencer County.

We can help. You have options. Call even if you think your house isn't sellable. Put an expert real estate agent on your side. Many testimonials available.

Dave also trains other Realtors how to perform successful short sales.

Matt Stigliano, Realtor® Becker Properties | (210) 646-HOME | www.RErockstar.com

"Your all access pass to San Antonio real estate."