Greater Cleveland Real Estate Blog

When I was a little girl, I lived in a city not too big and not too small. I loved to decorate our apartment, and I loved to see how other people decorated their homes and apartments, too.  Since I was 5 years old, I played piano and adored a ballet. Those two passions seriously affected my imagination - I was always imagining the fairy tales and at the same time was thinking about the real people's stories behind the scene and behind the curtains. Real Estate at that time translated into art and creativity for me. And I loved it.

 

        Decoration and style were the scene, and people were acting in their unique manner, and their relationships were not simple, and it was a complicated world, which I wholeheartedly wanted to make a better place.

        I studied a Western Philosophy and Psychology in a great city of Moscow and was never even thinking about anything better than a brilliant academic career for me:).

 

As I mentioned before, the world was complicated, and the country where I was born disappeared, vanished. There was no USSR on the map any more. Instead, there was a new beautiful world of opportunities to harmonize the world and to do business in an intelligent, humanitarian manner. At that point Real Estate translated into investment for me. And I loved it.

Then our family moved to the United States, and we are lucky to live in beautiful Moreland Hills, near Cleveland, OH. I needed to translate all my experience and knowledge into a new career. Real Estate became my new career, and my passion, and my life.

It's a miraculous business of Real Estate where artistic creativity and sensitivity to other people's feelings and thoughts, where academic knowledge and research skills,  where business intuition and investment experience are part of the Real Estate agent's job description.

It's an every day opportunity to meet new local people, and to connect with wonderful people from all over the world. Thanks to new technologies, we have Active Rain of Real Estate, and our clients benefit from our new connections and from Rain of knowledge, and support, and winning attitude.

Real Estate translates into a business of making the world a better place. Home to home. Person to person. Heart to heart.

And I love it!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my clients, colleagues and friends!

 

 

It's time to check out your credit score if you consider to buy a home in Cleveland OH or anywhere in the United States in few months, so you can still benefit from Home buyers tax credit.

Monitoring and reviewing your credit reports is a good idea for everyone. According to Equifax, 

• more than 27 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years
• only this year about 500,000 people will be robbed by identity thievs
• there is likely to be a "mass victimization" of the consumers within the next two years
• it may take six months to two years to recover from identity theft.

Even if you get pre-approved by the mortgage lender and If you are going to buy a house within next few months, it might be wise to monitor your credit in order to avoid unwilling surprises.

Consumers are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Free credit report can be requested through the website https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp.

The addresses for the credit reporting agencies are listed below:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, Georgia 30374

Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, Texas 75013

TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834

Cleveland Real Estate market has one strength which neither crisis, nor falling prices could weaken. This strength is in our Realtors(R).

I am positive that home buyers and home sellers who buy or sell the houses in Solon, Pepper Pike, Mayfield Heights, Twinsburg and other communities of Greater Cleveland  know it by heart that no matter what side of the transaction our Real Estate agents represent, or to what company they belong they work as one strong, professional team to make our clients happy.

Today is a big day. We closed another Real Estate transaction in Solon OH. It was probably the longest deal in my career. There was a cloud on the title which took over two and a half months to clear. My clients - first time home buyers were patient and understanding. The sellers were incredibly cooperative and diligent. Lender found the solution for rate lock extension. Everyone did a great job. However there was one person who managed everything and who was amazing. It's a listing agent Robert Gallmann from RE/MAX Haven. I am honored to extend my respect and gratitude to Rob and all members of his team for their job.

We worked together with Suzanne, Robert and all Gallmann team on few deals before. It is always a big pleasure to deal with this team. What a professionalism, leadership, ability to find a solution and great talent to cooperation!

I always believe in the importance of cooperation for real success in our business. It's not a secret that we are in a very competitive business. I think, it's beneficial for our clients that we compete with the very strong professionals.

Most of home sellers in Greater Cleveland and everywhere in the world interview at least two, sometimes more different agents. When Realtors(R) present our services to the home sellers we always try to show why should they chose us as their agents. What we do differently. What is our unique strength. How our strength can help the sellers to solve their problems in a better way.

However one of the most important parts of any listing presentation is explanation of the principles of cooperation between the brokers within MLS.

What we always hope and rarely tell our clients about is how easy it is to deal with the well trained, experienced, smart and educated agent on both sides when you sell your home.

Why don't we share the stories about our partners from different Real Estate companies.

God bless all cooperating brokers!

• First time buyer tax credit of 2009 - Presented by Svetlana Stolyarova, Local-n-Global Realty

• Ohio 203K rehab financing, how to buy and finance a great property in POS cities with escrow requirements - Presented by Tim Bradford, American Midwest Mortgage

• Short sales - nightmare or great opportunity? Legal aspects of short sales closings - Presented by David Streeter, Jr., Statewide Title Agency

• No and Low Down Payment Mortgage programs. Anatomy of Mortgage crisis - Presented  by Khash Saghafi, Crosscountry Mortgage

• Advantages of Home warranty for the home owners - Presented by Kimberly Loving, HWA
  

Please call Svetlana 216-548-4663 or e-mail to: Realty@Local-n-Global.com.

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Cleveland Realty Show and Networking Event

"2009. Time to buy in Cleveland" 

is going to be on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 at the Sherwin-Gilmour Party Center in Mayfield Heights. It will start at 5:30 p.m.

There will be a presentation and a lively discussion on the following topics:

• First time buyer tax credit of 2009
• Mortgage programs with low down payment, rehab financing, etc.
• How to buy and finance a great property in POS cities with escrow requirements
• Short sales - nightmare or great opportunity?
• Legal aspects of short sales closings - and more...

 

Ohio Active Rainers are actively participating in Cleveland Realty Event. 

Local-n-Global Realty is hosting the Event

Khash Saghafi is speaking at the Event

We want to see as many Active Rainers as possible!

It's a great opportunity to meet and have fun. FREE showcase opportunities are offered to Active Rainers. Just call Svetlana Stolyarova at 216-548-4663 or register online.

Take a chance to win one of five $25 Dining gift certificates from Home Warranty of America.

Showcase opportunities for Real estate, mortgage, title, tax, legal professionals, builders, designers, landscapers are still open. Bring and share your business cards, brochures and marketing materials. We will display your marketing materials and information.

Showcase participant receive two additional Home Buyer tickets for free. Come and bring your clients or friends!

Local-n-Global Realty, Home Warranty of America, U.S.Bank, Statewide Title Agency, First Place Bank, Newsbridge Corp., North Title are sponsoring the presentations and open bar.

Online Event Registration - Powered by www.eventbrite.com

Being a Russian born American Realtor(R) who works for sellers and buyers in Greater Cleveland, I enjoy travelling back to Russia and other European countries and meeting with the colleagues from different places while teaching Real Estate marketing, principles and practicies or closing the deals for my International clients.

That's the last day of my long trip to Ukraine and Russia. I've been real busy teaching the classes in Kiev (Ukraine), Tumen (Russia) and Moscow (Russia) for the last 18 days. I've been meeting with about 300 wonderful people, professional, very well educated, eager to learn in these beautiful cities. It was incredible informational support from the biggest Russian professional Real Estate portal http://NERS.ru. Yes, Russian speaking Real Estate people are lucky to have on-line professional Forum. It's not that advanced as Active Rain but it's good.

They don't have State licensing in Russia and Ukraine. They don't have real MLS in most places, just the Internet data base, open for both public and professionals. However, despite the differences it's a lot of common features and concerns among our colleagues, no matter where we practice Real Estate. Few observations about what concerns Real Estate people in different places:

1. Unfortunately, crisis is a common topic all over the world. Everyone is suffering from declining demand, lack of financial leverage and undecisive buyers and sellers. Our mature experience in survival is in a big demand. Good news about the first signs of revival of RE market in America makes people more enthusiastic. Let's spread the word about it!

2. Buyers' and Sellers' representation and fee structure. In few words, Should we charge the buyer if the seller's agent offers insufficient co-op commission? Should we charge less or more on declining market when our services become more needed by our clients?

3. Internet marketing and on-line presentation of our listings and services. Should we pay to the Big guys or promote our own web sites?

4. Brokers' cooperation and unethical methods of competition on tough market. Everyone hopes that tough times will help to clean the house.

Globe is so small and the problems are so common!

That's a big honor and responsibility to represent the American way of doing business in Real Estate to the colleagues from different countries. That's a big hope that we will keep our leadership in developing the ethical, civilized, yet profitable Real Estate brokerage business here in America.

Sincerely,

Svetlana Stolyarova, Local-n-Global Realty

Thinking of expanding your business Internationally? Please e-mail to:

Realty@Local-n-Global.com

 

 

 

Sometimes I have that strange and totally wrong feeling that I do not earn money which I get helping people to buy or sell Real Estate in Greater Cleveland. Why? Because I love doing Real Estate! How can you get paid for love?

Yes, Real estate is my primary business. Yes, I take it seriously and diligently, but -

I enjoy meeting new people, asking all the questions and listening to all these very deep and personal stories which my clients share with me. I feel so rewarded to help people finding a right home for growing family or buying the perfect piece of land to build that Dream house for Mrs. Perfect.

I am thrilled to help selling homes in Solon, Lyndhurst, Mayfield Heights, Aurora, because Web.2.0. marketing helps me to attract right buyers for my listings AND is my favorite activity. Exploring new marketing tools to promote my clients' listings, creating widgets, mini-sites, videos and slide shows is my hobby, my favorite game.

Finally, speaking of blogging at Active Rain. I love Active Rain! That's why when new customer-to be calls me and says that he knows me from Active Rain, I immediately start smiling. Miraculously, I feel relaxed and start speaking with total stranger like he is my dear friend, ONLY because he mentions Active Rain. That's exactly what happened this afternoon when I received a call from wholesale investor from NJ. That's exactly what happened a week ago when I got the call from investor from Finland who eventually hired me to represent him in purchasing few investment properties in Shaker Heights and University Heights.

Calls coming from Active Rain are always very easy and smooth. Interesting but it almost never happens when you follow up on any other Internet leads. Is it just me or it's  a trend that Lead Conversion Rate for Active Rain is much higher than for any other Internet portals or sites?

Active Rain has this great side effect, which I call Built-In Trust. Friendly, professional, yet HUMAN environment of Active Rain community is contageous. That's a magic of Active Rain.

Dear Greater Cleveland Real Estate agents! Join us at Active Rain! That's fun. That's help. That's business.

Dear homeowners who need to sell the houses in Solon, Pepper Pike, Mayfield, Highland Heights! Call the Active Rain agents! We are all friendly, relaxed and very professional.

Dear homebuyers! Start your Greater Cleveland MLS Search right here, at Active Rain. And, please call me 216-548-4663 ASAP. Rates are incredibly low and prices are better than reasonable. Time to buy! 

Sincerely, Your Active Rain Real Estate Agent

Svetlana Stolyarova 

 

Dear Greater Cleveland Real Estate agents !

If you believe in Web marketing, if you know how powerful blogging is, if you want to earn more utilizing lead generating power of the Web, please discover opportunities offered by young, dynamic Greater Cleveland Real Estate company Local-n-Global Realty.

Thanks to a great SEO power of Active Rain and Localism, our company's web site www.Local-n-Global.com attracts more than 5,000 visitors every week. 

 

We sincerely believe in synergy of combined Internet marketing efforts! If you want to double, triple, multiply your Internet presence and bring more benefits to Cleveland Real Estate buyers and sellers, please call Svetlana Stolyarova directly 216-548-4663 to discuss the broker-agents blogging system. I will be honored to offer one of the best compensation schedules, free marketing tools, proven selling systems to enthusiastic, knowledgeable Real Estate agents and teams who realize the value and power of the Internet for Real Estate industry.

You are welcome! Local-n-Global Hotline 877-770-5551 is available 24/7.

 

Happy Holidays to everyone! I am grateful to my family for love and patience. I am grateful to my clients for business and friendship. I am grateful to my associates for support and understanding. I am grateful to my colleagues for professionalisma and cooperation. I am grateful to my friends in Active Rain for generosity and talent. Happy Holidays! Let it be peace and joy!