When Is the Best Time to Buy Your Airline Ticket?

 
The best time to book your flight is on a Tuesday, at least 8 weeks (2 months) before your intended trip; however, there are also last minute travel deals as well if you are prepared to up and go within days of booking your flight.  

The days of the week that you depart and arrive on also make a big difference. Generally speaking, try to avoid leaving out and returning home on a weekend day.  

The time of day can also be a factor as well. You might find that a "red-eye flight" (leaving at night and arriving in the morning - or conversely leaving at the crack of dawn and arriving at night) may give you a better fare than leaving during the middle of the day.  Be flexible with your days and times if at all possible.

Unless you're booking some last minute travel deal, booking a flight less than 2 full weeks prior to departure will be the most expensive.  Also, remember the "Goldilocks Rule" of air travel; don't book too early and definitely don't book to late.   
 

(this does not constitute an endorsement for Bank of America)

Here are some other tips:

Travel Midweek 

International travel deals are entirely based on availability and since most people travel over the weekend (Friday & Saturday); you will find the cheapest international airfare deals if you travel midweek, usually departing and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Spend Saturday night  

Business travelers fly home on the weekend, so most discounted international airfare deals require a Saturday night stay.  So be prepared to spend Saturday at your destination (party time!)  

Don’t book too Early or Too Late  

When it comes to cheap international airfares, you have to follow the Goldilocks rule: Don’t book too early or too late. We all know that an international ticket booked with less than 3 days notice will be very expensive, but it will also be pricy if you book too far in advance. Most airlines start competing for passengers around three to four months before departure; this is known as the “Goldilocks Zone”. Search for your international airfare about three to five months out and you will be in the best position to hit the international airfare deal jackpot.  

Fly Trough the Side Door  

If your desired destination is sold out (too expensive), try flying out of a secondary international airport (Boston vs JFK or San Francisco vs Los Angeles). The same works with your destination airports; If London is sold out (expensive), try Brussels, Amsterdam or even Stuttgart. You can use the savings to book a low cost inter Europe flight to London or you can jump on the Eurostar train from Paris or Brussels.  

Fly Seasonally  

Most budget travelers never fly during high season. They take advantage of the lower airfares and decent weather during the ‘shoulder season’.  Europe’s fall shoulder season starts around September 15^th and extends until the middle of November. It’s spring shoulder season starts in mid February and extends until the end of April. For the cheapest deals to New Zealand and Australia, fly in mid August, their fall and winters are quite mild and still allow you to enjoy the many outdoor adventures available Down Under. For Asia, fly from late September through November to get the lowest airfare deals. South America’s low season is anytime it’s not Christmas, New Year’s, Carnival or a school holiday.  

Use the Multiple Flights Function  

Vayama has a ‘multiple flights’ function on it’s ‘find a flight’ box. It’s a good idea to use it because it may be cheaper to fly into one city and return from another (for example; New York to London, returning from Amsterdam).  Play around with different combinations and save.  

Add a Stopover and Save  

Direct flights (those with one stop) are also cheaper than nonstop flights, particularly when you fly long haul. For example the fares for a New York to Johannesburg flight will be cheaper on airlines that add a stopover (usually in Europe, Africa or the Middle East) versus the nonstop option from New York. The same applies to long haul flights to Asia. One stop in Seoul or Taipei could shave hundreds of dollars off an India trip when compared to nonstop flights.

Realtors Property Resource Program

This is a great program

Oxymoron - Don't Believe Everthing You Hear (Part 2)

"There's no I in TEAM"

Oh really ?!

There's also a M and an E  (ME)

See also:  "All that Glitters is Not Gold"


1 Thessalonians 5:21  But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

Calculating Absorbtion Rate Key to Sucessful Pricing of Home

Telling sellers the price they want to hear may get you the listing, but it won’t sell the home.  Only pricing the listing right will do that. And the right price depends in large part on the current absorption rate in your market. Here’s how you find that:

• First, determine the number of homes closed in your market over a specific period, for example a 12 month period. You can get this data from the MLS.

• Next, divide the number of homes by the number of months in the period — in this case, 12. This calculation gives a per month absorption rate.

• Last, divide the rate into the number of current listings still on the market. This yields the months’ supply of homes.

Six months’ supply is considered a balanced market when the number of listings roughly equals the number of buyers. Numbers over six represent a buyers’ market and those below a sellers’ market.

To assess sales trends, you can also calculate supply over shorter six and three month periods. Price in real estate is mostly a matter of supply and demand, just like in every other industry or business.

Once you have these basic calculations down, you can focus on absorption in particular neighborhoods or price ranges. Showing clients local absorption rates will give sellers the information they need to price their homes to sell. Once they’ve arrived at a price, you can decide whether you want to spend your marketing dollars selling it. If they don’t price it realistically (literally and figuratively - pun intended), then seriously consider taking a pass on the listing and focusing your time, energy and resources where there is a higher probability of a win-win or mutually beneficial working relationship together. See my previous articles entitled;

• "How to Deal With Unreasonable Clients - GET REAL!"

• "Fire Your Bad Clients"
  

Calculations can also be done to assess the the odds (or risks) of selling any one home. Even in a hot seller's market, it’s rare for more than 50 percent of homes to sell. To make this calculation:

• Search the MLS to determine how many transactions have closed in the last six months.

• Divide that number by the number of new listings that came onto the market during the same six months. (Don’t include listings that expired and then were re-listed.)

This equation gives you the percentage of homes entering the market that actually sold. For example, if 100 homes sold and 200 were listed, the odds of selling are 50 percent....

There's Water All Over The Place !! - OMG Who Do We Call ??!!

When you have a plumbing emergency in your home the last thing you want to be running for is the Yellow Pages looking for emergency plumbing services. I learned this lesson well recently when my father had a problem in his house.  

The thin copper refrigerator ice maker water line connection somehow failed or ruptured on the back of his refrigerator where it connects to the back of the refrigerator.  This caused a slow but steady leak that must have started during the day (and was unnoticed by him at the time) and continued through the night until the morning.  When my father woke up in the morning and went downstairs to the kitchen he discovered he was standing on a water soaked kitchen floor, that then leaked through to the lower level basement ceiling.  

Going through the Yellow Pages and calling local plumbing companies for "emergency service" did not get anyone to come over right away or within a few hours.  I got the frantic call from my father and was able to respond and go over to his house by mid morning and locate the main water shut off valve, as well as another separate "artery" water line pipe that fed water into the kitchen and refrigerator ice maker which luckily had been installed with its own separate shut off valve too.  I was able to stop the flow of water dripping and leaking onto the kitchen floor by shutting off the main and feeder water line valves.  

Here is another valuable lesson for any homeowner or renter in the case of a plumbing leak or water line or valve rupture, ALWAYS KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHERE TO FIND YOUR MAIN WATER LINE SHUT OFF VALVE which controls the flow of water from the street main water line into your house.  There is also another one usually located at the curb which your local water authority provider can also shut off.  

While we were waiting for an "emergency plumber" to show up (by this time it was around noon or 1:00 p.m., my father remembered that he had an extended service plan rider, attachment or addendum to his HVAC regular maintenance/service contract which covered plumbing calls as well.  We called this company and they actually showed up in an hour or so of the call (now by 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.) and the first "emergency plumber" contractor had still yet to show up!!  The plumbing contractor confirmed my diagnosis and identification of the problem and the source of the leak.  We were able to turn the main water flow valve back on to restore water to sinks, toilets and showers (and cut off the flow of water to the refrigerator ice maker from the "artery" line valve that I was able to locate and close off).  My father was subsequently able to get a new refrigerator installed (without ice maker line connected or installed) in a few days.

In this situation I learned the value of having an extended service contract addendum or rider to your regular HVAC maintenance/service contract. In this case they did not substantively do anything but confirm my diagnosis of the problem; however, they were there on site in a very short amount of time and well before another "emergency plumber" had responded.  Had I not been around and able to go over to my father's house to help him out, they would have been able to at least stop the flow of water (as I did) and to render further assistance if necessary.

An HVAC regular maintenance/service contract usually provides for the contractor or company to come out twice a year; once in the late Spring before the height of the summer to check on the functioning of your air conditioning components to ensure optimal performance and energy savings for the summer months; and the same once again in fall to check on your electric heat pump or gas furnace heater.  If you have such a regular HVAC service contract, make sure it also covers plumbing "emergencies" or calls as well.  

It is well worth having this as an "insurance" plan so that in the event of such a "geyser" - LOL or unexpected flow of water in your home, you know immediately and instinctively what to do and who to call for service instead of going through your local Yellow Pages and hoping you can get an "emergency" plumber to come out.  

Travel VISA to the USA to Buy Real Property

Here is something very interesting to watch and track; a proposed bill in the United States Congress (S. 1746) that would give foreign investors buying real property (in cash, no mortgage or debt attached to it) a Visa to come to the USA if they purchase a home (or homes) totaling $500,000 USD or more. 

The Bill is called the Visa Improvements to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States of America Act (dubbed, the “VISIT USA Act”).

To track this Bill in the United States Congress, see link below:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1746

Status: This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Explanation: Introduced bills and resolutions first go to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills and resolutions never make it out of committee.

Let’s hope this one does get all the way through Congress and enacted into LAW; as it will not only benefit and stimulate the much weakened U.S. economy, but will also provide an opportunity for people from certain countries who are not automatically granted a travel Visa (i.e. Indonesians) under the Visa Waver Program (VWP). This new “VISIT USA Visa” type would be a new category to the list of Visas for Temporary Visitors.

Real Estate Humor - Bubble Burst

Actually the real estate market bubble burst, and the ensuing recession which sprung from it, is no laughing matter if you're an investor; speculator, "flipper", a home owner, real estate broker or agent, mortgage lender or mortgage broker, or other real estate industry service provider.

Like Ancient Greek Literature and the works of Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey; in the tragedy, we also find irony and humor in it all.... 

Here is a collection of parodies which pretty well sums it all up though....

                                                                  

(Hitler is Briefed & Advised of the Housing Market Bubble Burst)

 

(Hitler is Briefed on the Extent of Foreclosure Fraud)

(Hitler as a Managing Real Estate Broker)

(Crash Test Dummies Discuss Using Equity In Your Home Like an ATM Card to Buy Stuff)

(90's Alternative Rock Parody on the Real Estate Market - Rage Against the Machine)

Update on NoVA Foreclosure Statistics - Good News & Bad News

There’s good news and bad news about foreclosures in the area.

The average price of foreclosed homes across Fairfax County is well above the average price across Virginia and the nation—that’s the good news.

The bad news is that there has been little improvement in the number of foreclosures on the market in Fairfax County in the past year.

Virginia has about 15,000 homes that were bank-owned or in foreclosure, or 1.1% of the United States’ 1.34 million foreclosures. 16% of Virginia’s foreclosures were in Fairfax County. According to RealtyTrac.com, there were 2,431 Fairfax County homes in foreclosure in late March.

Patience and Pricing

The difficulties and stigma attached to buying a foreclosed property (or a negative equity "short sale" property) have been factors that have discouraged many potential and prospective home buyers (and investors) from attempting to buy a foreclosure or "short sale" property in the past. Other favorable market conditions and an overwhelming shift from a once strong Seller's market to a "target rich environment" and an extremely strong Buyer's market led many home buyers to stay clear of foreclosures and short sales.  There was also an assumption that a distressed sale property was trashed and in need of a great deal of repairs or was a "Section 8" type of property.

The stigmatism attached to buying a distressed property is no longer the case. Home buyers are realizing that they can take advantage of some fantastic deals out there and get a property in move-in or "turn-key" condition.  Anyone who bought property around 2004 at the height, apex or zenith of the housing market or at the top of the roller coaster quickly saw their home value drop significantly beginning in 2005 when the bubble began to burst and the sub-prime debacle began to unfold and unravel and homeowners watched as home values plummeted down towards the bottom of the roller coaster. Actually it was like a car being driven off a cliff with a brick to the accelerator pedal. If someone bought with little or no money down, they quickly found themselves without any equity in the property and upside-down on their mortgage; hence the proliferation of "short-sales".  Many people realizing they had an "under-performing asset" on their hands and simply walked away and left the keys on the counter and let the property go into a "strategic foreclosure".  As a result there were and still are many foreclosure properties on the market that are actually in turn-key condition. 

The average price of a foreclosed home in Fairfax County in late March was about $321,000. That’s more than both Virginia and the nation’s average prices, which were $243,772 and $165,321 respectively.  Virginia’s foreclosure situation has seen little movement since this time in 2011, according to the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA). A problem unlikely to change significantly until Virginia sees a drop in unemployment and household debt, and a rise in incomes.

Virginia’s foreclosure prevention website, at www.virginiaforeclosureprevention.com, reports that when foreclosed properties are sold, the borrowers’ loans have been delinquent for about 117 days, or four months.

The hardest part about buying a property that has been foreclosed on is being patient. Frequently, the bank will give a verbal reply or acceptance to an offer, and then send the contract addendums to the buyer later. A verbal reply, however, is not legally binding as the Statute of Frauds requires contracts (or the negotiated terms and conditions and acceptance thereof) for real property to be in writing; so in the time the buyer is waiting for the paperwork from the bank, the bank can legally accept another offer and the prospective buyer may be missing out on other opportunities while waiting on the bank.  If you're a "cut throat" investor or a "low ball" offeror with time and money to play with, that is a waiting game you can afford to play and take a chance on. If, on the other hand, you are a first time home buyer trying to capitalize on highly favorable market conditions with distress properties, you could be engaging in a wait-n-see game or chasing the curve on housing market values while you're dealing with highly problematic distress and foreclosure property contract offers that either don't go through the first time or fall apart subsequently with bank owned property, also known as "REO properties".    

The foreclosed properties that have sold so far this year have been on the market for an average of 65 days, but that number is slightly skewed.  Because it takes the banks a few days to reply or finally accept an offer, they have to keep the property listed in an "active" status in the real estate MLS (Multiple Listing Service) while they do their paperwork although basic terms and conditions have already been agreed to.

The Fairfax County government website has a variety of resources for homeowners facing difficulties paying their mortgage, including a list of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved counseling agencies and information on foreclosure prevention.

Here are some links for Statistics on Home Sales & Market Conditions in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia:

http://www.rbintel.com/statistics/fairfax-county-va

http://nvar.com/market-statistics/housing-market-statistics

http://cra.gmu.edu/

Another good indices of either how strong or weak the housing market is known as the "Absorption Rate" - which means if no new homes came on the market how long or the rate at which it would take to sell or liquidate the current inventory of homes based on current sales statistics data and market trends.    


 

What is "Green Building" Design or Principles - (Part 2)

In Part 1, I gave an overview of the philosophy, paradigm or ethos involved in "Green Building" and explained some of the Core Principles or Basics behind "Going Green."  

This is NOT what we mean by "Going Green" by the way - LOL

Nor does "Going Green" mean that you are either ill or sick, or sick with envy - LOL

 

Now here in Part 2, are some specific "Ecologically Sustainable Solutions" or components to achieve the end of "Going Green" or having a "Green Building" residence (or retail, commercial, industrial structure).  This list is not all inclusive as new technologies and materials are constantly emerging and evolving.   

Energy & Efficiency:

Central chillers
Heat pumps
Solar hot water
Solar water pumps
Solar garden lights
LED lighting concepts
Decorative Eco lighting designs
Insulation films
Insulation wall panels
Insulation boards
Insulation coatings

Water:

Waste water treatment
Water treatment and purification
Solar desalination
Rainwater harvesting

Waste & Reduced Raw Materials:

90% recycled roofing 
90% WPC (Wood Composite Decking) and railing materials. 
Cellular Lightweight Concrete 
Bamboo flooring – (Made in Indonesia)
100% Reclaimed Flooring & Decking
Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and non-toxic paints, coatings, sealing and finishes
Waste separation, collection & recycling
Composting

Transportation:

Hybrid or "EV's" (Electric Vehicles) 

Electric motor bikes and bicycles

Ecologically Sustainable Services:
 
Green Building Architecture & Design
Energy Efficient Building Design
MEP (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing) Design
MEP Contracting
Green HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) Designs and Systems
Environmental Assessments
Environmental Impact Assessment & Audit
Energy Audit
Waste Management
Bioengineering for land management

 

Many other solutions and services are available and this is not a complete or comprehensive list...but will get you thinking about ways to "Go Green" and ways to use or think about creating and using "Ecologically Sustainable Solutions" in and around your home, office or business.

Realtor Safety Advisory - 2nd Amendment

LinkedIn Groups

Group: NVAR Subject: House Hunter Warning: Be On The Lookout Realtor® Safety Advisory for This Weekend! We have received a report of a man who has been asking to see vacant properties in the Fairfax area. This client has refused to show ID and insists that he only be shown vacant properties. Please share this information with all agents and assistants who are working this weekend. Vigilance and precautions are always needed. Make your safety plan with family and colleagues. Please be aware of your surroundings and make sure to lock up properties after showing. Send advisories to webmaster@nvar.com. Posted By Jill Parker Landsman This is why I always (legally and lawfully) pack heat with my .45 caliber pistol when showing properties.  Someone asked me why I carry a .45, I said because they don't make a .46 !  LOL There is no law against walking down Main Street USA with a pistol holstered on your hip, unless it is completely concealed and no one can tell it's a gun. This is referred to as "Open Carry."  As soon as you cover it up or over, however, then it becomes a "concealed weapon" and a permit or license to carry is required.  This is referred to as the "Virginia tuck" - if you tuck your shirt behind the pistol so that it is visible you're merely invoking your Second Amendment right; whereas if your shirt or other outer garment is covering or "concealing" the firearm then it's a different set of rules that apply.  ALWAYS check with your state's gun laws before even contemplating carrying a firearm for self-defense or protection.  The NRA publishes all the information and resources you need on this subject.  See these links below for further info and resources: http://www.opencarry.org/ http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/circuit/pdf/CCR-CWP-10.pdf https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/index.php http://www.gunlaws.com/links/linksva.htm  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_%28by_state%29  Here is some other helpful information:     Always be polite and cooperative with law enforcement; BUT ALWAYS take the 5th Amendment (Constitutional Protection against self incrimination)  NEVER answer interrogatory questions other than to identify yourself.  NEVER consent to any search of your person, automobile, home or property; ALWAYS invoke your 4th Amendment right against warrant-less and unreasonable search and seizure of your property. NEVER agree to be "interrogated", deposed, or answer questions without a lawyer or attorney present. Invoke your 6th Amendment right to be represented by an attorney, even if you cannot afford one, and even if you have not been "Mirandized" (or read your rights). Ask law enforcement if stopped and questioned whether you are free to go, or whether you are under arrest.  If you are not free to go, then it means you have been placed under arrest. An "investigative stop and questioning" can be construed and considered as a "constructive arrest." You have a right to NOT answer questions (other than to identify yourself) and to NOT be unlawfully detained. ALWAYS remember that, use of deadly force is never justified to protect property; but only when your life is endangered, or to protect the life of someone else.

Tenants (Renters) Rights in a Foreclosure

 

The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) went into effect in May 2009. The PTFA provides protections to tenants in foreclosed properties.

 

The PTFA is found in the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 (a document of 1632 pages). Originally set to expire (or "sunset") on December 31, 2012, Dodd-Frank extended the expiration date of the PTFA to December 31, 2014. 

 

Under this legislation, the immediate successor of interest (generally the purchaser) of a foreclosed property must provide all tenants with at least 90 days notice prior to eviction because of foreclosure.

 

Additionally, tenants must be permitted to stay in the residence until the end of the lease, with two exceptions:

• The property is sold after foreclosure to a purchaser who will occupy the property as a primary residence, or

• There is no lease or the lease is terminable at will under state law.

Even if these exceptions apply, the tenant must be given at least 90 days notice prior to eviction. The rights of Section 8 tenants are also protected under the PTFA.

In this newsletter, we should like to direct you to further information on the PTFA.

Open Houses - HUGE Liability & Risks Involved (Part 2)

I have written previously on the issues and liabilities as a Listing Agent (or owner) of doing an Open House to market and sell a property.  See my previous blog article which addresses this issue in more detail.

This news article today only compounds my position on the issue.  What's alarming and disturbing about this instance is that the burglaries at Open Houses were perpetrated by a former Real Estate agent or REALTOR with "inside information" (literally and figuratively - LOL) and with the theft of house keys from a lock-box shackle to gain entry into [unattended] homes later.  

I hope this bastard gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law when it comes to sentencing....