Many people may not realize the importance of curb appeal, but with so many houses on the market, it is more important than ever. As your Realtor pulls up with the potential buyer, they make their first impression within 30 seconds, just like when meeting a new person for their first time.

What the exterior of your home looks like will leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. You have to look at your home objectively as a potential home buyer would look at your home.

Learn what to do to create desire in the potential home buyer the minute they look at your home for sale, whether you are the owner or the Realtor. A Realtor should learn these methods as well so they can pass this on to their clients so they can sell their home quickly.

The list to create curb appeal and desire in the heart of the home buyer

1. Stand in the street or across the road. What do you see? What is your first impression?
2. What are the features that stood out the most that you liked?
3. What stood out that you disliked?
4. Can you improve the appearance of the yard? Are there weeds? Are there toys all over the yard? Are there dead bushes, flowers, or leaves that need to be removed?
5. Is the sidewalk or path to the front door clean? Is the path uneven and unattractive? Are there ways you can improve the path?
6. Take photos of the exterior of your home. Look closely at the photos and try to see what potential home buyers will notice. Can you make improvements?
7. Remember to look at home at different hours of the day, such as morning, noon, and evening. Some buyers may drive past in the evening to see what the neighborhood is like after dark. What can you do to improve the evening appeal of your home? The answer is quite simple. Brighten up the paths, the front door, and even use lighting around the yard to enhance the landscaping.
8. Okay, not every potential buyer will only look at the front door. Potential buyers will walk all the way around the house. The backyard needs to look just as tidy and neat as the front lawn. A cluttered backyard will give the impression that the home was cluttered and only cleaned up to sell.

Things to do to create desire and curb appeal:

• Ensure the exterior has no mold or mildew on the house, driveway, or path.
• Put away all outside toys or ensure they are neatly stored.
• Put away all garden tools, hoses, etc…
• clean the gutters.
• clean the windows inside and out.
• wash the siding.
• clean the deck or patio.
• clean all paths to the home.
• clean the driveway.
• edge the paths.
• rid the yard of weeds.
• keep the lawn mowed.
• rake the leaves as needed.
• trim tree limbs.
• plant flowers.
• repaint the front door.
• replace the old mailbox.
• replace the house numbers or repaint the numbers.
• add a nice doormat.

In today’s competitive market it is more important than ever for your home to make a good first impression.

Record sales of single single-family Las Vegas homes, condominiums, and town homes were announced in June in Las Vegas. The record set back in June of 2004 was at 4,414, but now in 2009, the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors reported a new all time record of 4,702.

We hear how potential buyers are afraid to buy homes and just how many homes are sitting on the market, but then we see a report of record-breaking sales in Las Vegas, what is the real truth.

Realtors in the Las Vegas area sold 3,785 single-family homes during June, which is up 16.3% from May and a whopping 70% over June of 2008. Condos and town homes have tripled from sales last year at this time to 917 in June.

A decrease is now seen in the single family homes of 11.9%, bringing homes on the market to 20,613 and condos on the market is at 5,416 decreasing 2.2%.

Sue Naumann president of the Realtors association stated, “I think it’s significant that we sold a record number of homes last month… We’ve been closing in on this mark for a few months now.”

Single family homes in Las Vegas are at a median price of $140,000 which is the same as May. Condo prices are edging up a bit to $66,000.

Inventory in Las Vegas is a bit down and prices are going up or stabilizing which is good sign for the housing market across the US. Las Vegas was one of the first to feel the bubble burst and will be one of the first to see a change for the better.

Broker David Brownell of Keller Williams Realty stated that closings are up from last year as well as pending sales.

Broker and Team Leader for Realty ONE Group Konnel Peterson said, “Figures on closed real estate transactions for June 2009 signal that the market did reach bottom this spring and that Las Vegas real estate may well be on our way to recovery.”

Las Vegas is beginning to see buyers both investors and families, however, everyone is still a bit concerned about the future when it comes to job security. However, with housing prices going down and those wishing to buy a new home for an affordable price, this is a great time to buy. Many of the homes on the market today are foreclosures, which allows you to buy at a considerable lower price than the home is actually worth.

If you want to know how soon the housing market will rebound across the nation, keep a sharp eye on Las Vegas. As Las Vegas heals so, will other states.

The anxiously awaited launch of iJango takes place here in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 1, 2009 at the recently opened Encore Hotel. This revolutionary business allows the general public to capitalize on Internet traffic.

iJango Launches in Las Vegas

At the official launch of iJango in Las Vegas, the infant Internet Portal will reveal a new web 2.0 design and will then have the ability to register new customers. While Independent Representatives and Directors have been feverishly signing up, no customers will be allowed to participate until the official launch.

This innovative Internet business does not sell any products. Yes it is a form of Network Marketing program however customers simply do what they normally do on the Internet. So no, you don’t have to sell soap to Aunt Sara. Aunt Sara simply uses the iJango Internet Portal and does her usual surfing, emailing and Instant Messaging and you profit. Additionally, negotiations are ongoing to get your Aunt Sara discounts with many nationally known businesses on products and services she already uses. And what is the cost for Aunt Sara to use iJango you ask? Nothing, zero, zip, zilch, nada. iJango is 100% free for dear old Aunt Sara.

How iJango Works

So how do you as an Independent Representative or Director make money? The fact is that over the past decade advertising dollars for businesses have made a major shift to the Internet and away from conventional

media such as newspapers. We hear almost daily about major newspapers and other printed media failing or transitioning to digital media. Better known as the Internet.

According to The Business Insider, Google is poised to surpass the mammoth Microsoft in 2009.

Advertising income is responsible for most if not all of Google’s annual multi-billion dollar revenue stream according to The Industry Standard. Gross profit for Google exceeded $16 billion in 2008 with a phenomenal net profit exceeding $4.2 billion. Advertising dollars support other Internet Portals like Yahoo, MSN and Bing. These portals have revenue sharing programs that split revenue with website developers that carry these ads and content. This part of the equation is nothing new and has been going on for years. What is new is that iJango offers to build and host your portal for you. You don’t need to be a webmaster or Internet Guru to get in on this action. You simply promote YOUR portal and encourage users to continue to surf the Internet as they do anyway.

Summary

The comedian Dennis Miller recently stated on his syndicated radio program that he always seems to get in on Network Marketing programs “just in time for the Pyramid wrapping party”. It seems that most us do basically the same thing. We tend to get in too late to actually profit. Here is a business that you can get in on the ground floor. The iJango official launch of August 1st is still over two weeks away. This is your opportunity to be a part of something that almost everyone in the civilized world uses… the Internet.

If you are interested in attending the Official iJango Launch at the Encore Hotel here in Las Vegas, you MUST register soon. Space was limited and there were only 1,000 seats available so you need to RSVP to reserve your seat. And yes, I will see you there because iJango too!

While I do not actively participate in Real Estate Forums I do follow a couple. It seems as if the largest of the forums RealEstateWebmasters.com is consistently embroiled in some type of controversy with competitors, clients or Google.

I have found REW to contain very little usable information. It is obvious that this forum’s primary purpose is to promote the services of the site owner and to manipulate Search Engine Rankings. It is clear that many of the REALTORS® that frequent that forum have entirely too much time on their hands. Personal attacks and outright rudeness are common there.

The latest controversy to surround REW is a penalty by Google stemming from unacceptable linking practices. Site owner Morgan Carey claims no wrong doing but will look into it. No news there. SOP for Mr. Carey as it were.

What is yet to be determined is if this Google penalty will be passed on to REW clients. While Morgan Carey has been penalized in the past by Google he has managed to resurface in the popular search engine but has a long list of clients that have had their sites banned.

Undaunted by this Mr. Carey simply harvests a new batch of REALTOR® clients and applies his latest Search Engine Optimization trick or scheme. With no shortage of willing participants hoping to have their real estate site ranked in the Top 10 of Google, REW manages to keep their client list replenished.

Thus far Carey has avoided civil and criminal litigation by locating his office in Canada making any legal action by U.S.A. authorities or U.S. REALTORS® either too troublesome or expensive.

It is rumored in a popular SEO Blog that Google’s own “Spam Cop” Matt Cutts was personally responsible for the most recent REW penalty. While Matt Cutts has an excellent reputation, Google Engineers have simply proven in the past to be no real match for the infamous Morgan Carey. So the money here in Las Vegas is on Mr. Carey!

Time will tell.

The storm caused a rash of traffic accidents and also was the cause of quite a few flight cancellations and delays. Authorities released reports that showed about 120 accidents in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area alone.

The storm hit Saturday afternoon and caused many of accidents which in turn brought traffic to standstill on many roads. To make matters worst there were more travelers on the road than usual due to the Christmas holiday.

There were many disturbing stories that came out of the Reno area but one that was terribly horrible especially for this time of year.

A woman had her vehicle slide off the road and when she exited the vehicle was struck by a truck.

The Reno Police reported many bizarre stories like this one and also reported dozens of accidents.

That’s because the Trophy Towers overlook the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and is loaded to the kilt with amenities. Many Las Vegas condos offer entertainment but not too many can match the awesome display of horsepower bestowed upon fans attending the NASCAR show.

And it seems as though fans of NASCAR can afford their condos. According to NASCAR research, 22% of the fans of NASCAR are estimated to have household incomes topping $70,000.

Helldorado Days brings positive attention to Las Vegas Nevada.

Helldorado Days will begin on April 24, 2006 and continue through the entire month of May. The city of Las Vegas and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge #1468 are sponsoring the events and parade.

The 2006 Helldorado Days will include many events including a golf tournament, kick-off dinner, art show and auction, poker tournament, and much more. There will be 10 days of horse related events sponsored by the Elk club. The annual parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, along 4th St in the downtown area.

Mayor Oscar B. Goodman said of the event, "It is a most important event to celebrate our being Las Vegans and showing our love for each other to our city". The positive press could lead to more inquiries for Las Vegas housing.

The Summit Medical Center measures 23,543 sq. ft. and sits on 2.75 acres of Las Vegas property.

We have a couple of problem closings on some of our Missouri real estate transactions, but they seem to be coming together now.

Sharon, our Missouri Farms specialist, reports that while sales for farms 200 acres and up are down somewhat, the smaller farms and hobby farms are moving at a fast pace.

While I am stuck in Missouri, my Las Vegas real estate partner tells me that it looks as though we may be headed into the “Busy” season early this year.

My partner reports that the good news is that local home prices are still stable. This will continue as long as builders maintain a healthy inventory on new homes.

Things in the Las Vegas market are really picking up at a pace that is unusual for this time of year.

I hope this is a sign of a banner year for real estate.

~VegasMack

Unfortunately, the brains of the outfit, (my lovely wife Rhonda), will have to stay here in Missouri for a while longer.

I am anxious to get back to work doing what I love best… selling Las Vegas real estate.

Our partner is telling us the Team with Century 21 Las Vegas, will be adding two new buyers’ agents to better serve our Las Vegas real estate clientele.

He also reports that sales are continuing at a robust pace on homes and investment property.

Rhonda will stay behind to tend to family business but is still actively involved in her Missouri real estate agency. Rhonda reports that larger Missouri farms for sale in the south central Missouri region are still moving at a robust pace and Missouri homes are moving better since the first of the year.