By Tom Branch, on October 18th, 2010 
Posted on Dallas Dirt by Candy Evans
Gina Branch, ABR of RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs, offers a response to our Eager Seller of the day who hasn’t seen any movement in her $150k home on the market for a week:
Dear Eager:
This is a great question currently on the minds of many homeowners across the nation.
The good news is the national foreclosure moratorium will have very little impact in Texas. Texas is a non-judicial state and the foreclosures will most likely begin again here in the next few weeks as the lenders dot the i’s and cross the t’s on their paperwork.
The bigger issues impacting home sales in the Dallas area are three-fold. First, the federal tax credit that expired earlier this year prompted many buyers to get off the fence and purchase before the deadline. This frenzied buying has dissipated the current buyer pool. Secondly, we’re still running across many buyers who can’t qualify for a mortgage due to low credit scores, high debt, or a combination of the two. This is such a tragedy given the historically low interest rates and affordable housing prices in our area. And third, unemployment is high, so many would-be buyers are unwilling to part with their money given the widespread job insecurity facing Texas and the nation.
While it’s a great time to purchase a home, it’s not the best time to sell. What sellers need to keep in mind is that whatever loss they might take on the sale of their home, they will more than make up for on the purchase of a new one. The savings in interest alone is substantial. When you combine that with lots of inventory and stable prices, it’s a prime time to buy. The Dallas Fort Worth metro area is having a fire sale! If you’re planning to purchase another home after you sell, I would encourage you to take your minor bumps and bruises in sales price and then take full advantage of the current buyer’s market.
Originally Posted at: http://dallasdirt.dmagazine.com/2010/10/18/ask-candy-how-foreclosuregate-will-affect-dallas-real-estate-its-a-fire-sale/
By Tom Branch, on October 16th, 2010 
The more you serve your customers and help them satisfy their needs, the more you will prosper.
And as a business owner, business manager, professional person or entrepreneur, serving your customers’ needs effectively means that you must do the things that unsuccessful business owners, managers, professionals, and entrepreneurs don’t do. The things that those unsuccessful people don’t do are the things that most of us don’t like to do either.
There is no doubt that it is difficult to work long hours or on weekends when your family is waiting for you at home, to have only a couple of “shoppers” stop by or to be stood up for an appointment someone made with you.
It’s tough to make telephone calls only to be met with hostile and rude people on the other end who curse at you or slam the phone down.
It’s discouraging to set goals, schedule interviews, explain the technical aspects and benefits of the products and services you provide, overcome customers’ objections and misconceptions, and go out of your way to give exceptional service, only to have your customer go elsewhere because they found the same product or service for a few dollars less.
Enough of these experiences can be discouraging for anyone. And after a while, some people just quit trying. They find it easier to adjust their standard of living downward to match their income, than to adjust their income upward to create their desired standard of living.
They are no longer in control. Inflation dictates the price of things they buy, and competition and luck determine how much they have to spend. Fortunately for them, many of their competitors are in the same situation.
Outstanding success is unusual and is dependent on many different factors. For some people, it just happens. They’re in the right place at the right time, they do nothing special, everything just falls into place for them. Others put in long hours and much work only to find average success.
By Tom Branch, on October 15th, 2010 The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will open the first direct-connect ramp at the State Highway 121, the Sam Rayburn Tollway(SRT) and US 75, North Central Expressway (Central) interchange on October 17th.
The new ramp will allow motorists traveling on northeast-bound SRT in Allen and McKinney to directly access northbound U.S. 75.
“The opening of this direct-connector is a momentous occasion for the NTTA and for the public, since this new ramp will vastly improve traffic flow through the area,” said Elizabeth Mow, NTTA director of project delivery.
More developments are coming soon: By the end of November, the NTTA expects to open another major direct-connector on the SRT/U.S. 75 interchange. This one will directly link southbound U.S. 75 with southwest bound SRT. Details will be announced when the opening schedule is finalized.
The NTTA will open the SRT/U.S. 75 interchange in phases during the next several months. All major traffic movements are expected to be open on the interchange in January.
Source: NTTA Press Release
By Tom Branch, on October 13th, 2010 The Branch Team | Real Estate Broker 0547597 | RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2-Car Garage | 1484 SF/Tax
Little Elm TX Homes For Lease – Nice modern home in Stardust Ranch. Neutral colors. Kitchen with tile backsplash and breakfast bar overlooks living room with wood-burning fireplace. Large master suite. Master bath with garden tub, dual vanities, separate shower, and walk-in closet. Other bedrooms and bath split from master. Washer and dryer remain. Large backyard with open patio is perfect for entertaining. Community amenities include pool, clubhouse, park, and playground.
Click here for current status, pricing, photos, and a virtual tour.
Source: NTREIS | Photo Credit -Tom Branch
By Tom Branch, on October 12th, 2010 The Branch Team | Real Estate Broker 0547597 | RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
4 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2-Car Garage | 1986 SF/Tax
Plano TX Homes For Sale – Great home with pool in the Heart of Plano. Bright and open floor plan with large formals and butlers pantry. Kitchen and family room with wood-burning fireplace overlook the backyard with diving pool. Perfect for entertaining. Generous master suite has walk-in closet and master bath has updated vanity and ceramic tile flooring. Main bath has also been updated including tile and flooring. This home is clean and move-in ready.
Click here for current status, pricing, photos, and a virtual tour.
Source: NTREIS | Photo Credit -Tom Branch
By Tom Branch, on October 11th, 2010 Kim Fischer – NBCDFW.com
October 8, 2010
When it comes to staging your home for sale, making small changes can make a big impact with a potential buyer.
Click here for video.
Gina Branch was interviewed as part of this story that aired on NBC 5 News on October 8 and October 9, 2010. You can see more of us “in the media” by clicking here.
By Tom Branch, on October 11th, 2010 
I was recently reading some of the responses to Margaret Gross’ Member’s Only blog titled, “Use Professional Photos – They’re Worth It!” Fred Light commented that, “‘Web appeal’ is curb appeal of 10 years ago, like it or not. “
That got me thinking.
Years ago people would drive around neighborhoods looking at homes for sale and picking up flyers. Curb appeal made a huge difference in which homes they selected to see.
Times have changed and the smart listing agents have adapted to the changes.
Today it all starts with great Internet Marketing. Why? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, over 85 percent of all buyers start their searches on the Internet. The drive-bys in the cars of yesteryears are now done by driving their mouse on one of several hundred thousand IDX websites displaying listings from the Multiple Listing Services (MLS). The new curb appeal is that first look on the Internet.
Quality photos and well-written marketing text are essential to getting past that first look.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, professional quality photographs not only speeds up the marketing time but also increase the final sales price of a property. Why? I’ll argue that homes that are better photographed have higher showing rates and better chances of early and multiple offers. Buyers simple pass up on homes with no or very poor photos.
Well-written marketing text is also critical. We still see listings with little to no text (this is usually combined with poor or no photos) in the MLSs.
Marketing a home takes much more than sticking a sign in the ground and inputting some basic data into the MLS. The great listing agents understand that the old paradigm has shifted online and they made that shift as well.
True curb appeal is still important as buyers make subconscious decisions about properties in the first few minutes of a showing and that starts with drive-up or curb appeal. For more information on keeping a property in Show-Ready condition and Showing Restrictions see my earlier blogs titled, “Are You Show Ready?” and Showing Restrictions“.
Sellers need to take a look at how their property is being marketed online. Every home, regardless of price or condition, deserves to be well-marketed. If something does not look right, call your listing agent.
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