There is a huge divide among my Real Estate Peeps when it comes to marketing properties on Social Media sites.  Some say Yes, some say No, and some just don’t have a clue.  I’m just being honest here .  So on to the Top 3 Reasons I Tweet and Facebook my Properties.

Top 3 Reasons:

1. My Clients LOVE it: My clients love to see me doing  everything possible to market their property.  They DID love seeing their property on the local cable channel, magazine, and newspaper.  They LOVE seeing their properties on Twitter and Facebook!

I can reach more people faster through these to networks than I can through local TV, magazine, and the newspaper.  My sellers, can Re Tweet their properties, and share my update status on Facebook.  I typically only spotlight 2 properties a day.

2. Industry Recognition: I’ve got so many Followers on Twitter and Friends on Facebook, and it’s easy to forget or not know what someone does for a living.  It’s my job to let others know.  On the flip side, I don’t smash property after property in people’s faces 24/7.

My interaction/engagement ratio is far higher than that of my marketing.  The interaction/engagement ratio has a greater success ratio in Social Media Marketing.

“Marketing in Social Media can be Non-Intrusive…”

3. Exposure and Traffic: Why have a website if no one see’s it?  Why put properties on the internet if no one knows they are there nor where to find them?  Sure they can go to Realtor.com and other sites, but I add more pictures and more information about my properties on my website.  I don’t have as many limitations!  The more my properties are being viewed, the higher probability of finding a buyer, prospect, and or client.  It’s a numbers game.

I love using Twitter and Facebook to market my properties, but I do it in a very subtly.  I think that’s the way I’ve kept so many Followers and Friends in my Social Media Arena.

“Social Media Marketing has a common principle with Real Estate; it’s a numbers game…”

Thank you. All of you that have severed or are currently serving. You give up so much of yourselves, your families, and sometimes your life. This simple post can in no way show you my full gratitude, but I wanted to attempt to show you some appreciation today.

I pray that God looks over you and your families. God Bless the USA!!!!!

Recently updated to give you all the character of old, with the updates of the new.

Don’t let the exterior size view fool you.  2023 South N Street has 2,020 sq. ft. of divine space!  From the Living Room with Fireplace to the Formal Dining Room, and we better not forget the very spacious Den.  You can enjoy your fine meals within the Formal Dining Room, or enjoy a dinner for 2 in the cozy kitchen area.  The 4th bedroom could easily be converted into an office or game room.  Just in case you’ve got pet’s or children, the fenced backyard is a definite bonus.

The recently updated window’s add that addition “Green” feeling you will want and deserve when purchasing a home.  The roof has also been recently replaced.

For your personal showing pleas call me at 479-414-1894 or fill out this contact form below.  See additional photo’s below!!!

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It doesn’t matter if you are moving, visiting, or currently live in the Ft. Smith Area.  If you like BBQ, you’ve GOT to eat at Art’s BBQ!  I will admit, I visit there on a regular basis.  Why?  The food is delicious!

It doesn’t matter if you have the Sliced Beef, Pulled Pork, Smoked Sausage, Catfish Dinner, or the ever LOVING Baby Back Ribs.  It’s all GOOD BABY!! 

I like my BBQ like I like my coffee, HOT!!  I like it with a lot of HOT Sauce and messy!  I’m talking sauce covering my finger, and yes, I lick it off!!  I ain’t too proper when it comes to good BBQ!  I better maintain myself because I’m making myself hungry. 

Art’s BBQ goes beyond the delicious food.  They’ve got some of the best service I’ve ever received! 

Art’s BBQ is locally owned and operated.  Eddie York is the owner and has been since 1989!  Eddie is often there to greet you at the door, “Hey, how are you today?”  He’s genuinely concerned, and waits for your reply.  Service like that is hard to find.

Go by Art’s BBQand let me know what you think!!!  I am sure you’ll love it just like me.  While you are there, make sure you tell Eddie that you heard it from Ray Nellum! 

If you want great BBQ, stop by Art’s BBQ!  If you want great Ft. Smith Real Estate services, give ME a call!  Either way, you are going to get some of the best service you’ve ever seen in the Ft. Smith area.

Historic James Barnes Homes

The historic James K. Barnes (ca. 1893) home is located in the center of the beautiful Belle Grove Historic District of Ft. Smith.  This home is being offered to the Fort Smith Real Estate market at only $250,000!

The James K. Barnes house (ca. 1893) is a great example of Romanesque Revival architecture, identified with asymmetrical façades but normally has arches over windows or doors.  The two other architectural styles that appeared near the end of the nineteenth century: Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival.

This home could be used as an office, home, or both!!

About James K. Barnes:

Born 1847 in Kentucky to a prominent lawyer, Sidney Barnes. He studied law in Lancaster, Ky., until moving to Little Rock in 1871 to practice with his father there in the firm of Benjamin & Barnes. He later was elected city solicitor. Immediately after his marriage to Mary M. Yonley, the couple traveled to Fort Smith by river steamer to make their new home.

In Fort Smith, he was a prominent member of the bar, trying cases in federal court, and an active citizen, serving several terms as city alderman and two terms as postmaster, appointed by Presidents Arthur and Harrison. His brother, Fort Smith lawyer Thomas Barnes, was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas by President McKinley. Thomas served only for one year until his death at which time James was appointed in 1898 to take his place, serving until his death in February 1909.

Barnes was leader of the Republican Party in this state and for several years a member of the Republican State Centeral Committee. Despite his solid Republican credentials, a future Democratic congressmen from western Arkansas, at the age of 5 and nearly naked and costumed as a cherub, sat atop the newell post in the front hallway for a party at the Barnes House.

The mood was almost assuredly more somber for another event that occurred in the house, the funeral of James Barnes. Among the honorary pallbearers were Judge William Clayton and James Brizzolara. Clayton served as U.S. attorney in Fort Smith before becoming a judge and Brizzolara was a magistrate in the court. Their homes still stand across Sixth Street from the Barnes House.

View Additional Photo’s Below and to schedule your personal showing please fill out the form below or Call/Text me at 479-414-1894.  “To Buy or Sell’um, Call Ray Nellum”.

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Take one day at a time, and the blessings as they come!

I’m thankful to Nancy Smith at Bancorp South in Van Buren for sending me this valuable information!  The article was written by John Ulzheimer for Credit.com, and you can check out other valuable information there.  Whew, I’ve covered myself on copyright. 

Top Ten Credit Mistakes!!!

1. Closing Credit Cards Accounts

Some of you may wonder why Closing Credit Cards is number one on this list as the biggest credit mistake even above Missing Payments. In fact, closing credit cards is almost as bad of an idea to increase your credit scores as missing payments, but it is also a clear number one on the list of credit myths. It is perhaps the most common piece of advice that consumers are given when they ask,” How can I increase my credit scores?”. If there were ever a wolf in sheep’s closing as far as credit mistakes go, it’s this one. Closing credit card accounts will not increase your credit scores. So called “industry experts” such as mortgage lenders suggest that you close credit cards as a strategy to increase your credit scores to qualify for home loans. However, there are two huge reasons not to close credit cards that you no longer use. They are:

• They will eventually fall off your credit reports – Information on your credit reports has to follow certain rules as far as how long it can remain on the report. In most cases credit information will remain on your credit files for no longer than seven years from the account’s Date of Last Activity or “DLA.” Your DLA will continue to update each month so long as the account remains open. So, an open account will never reach the seven-year mark because each month your DLA updates to the current month. However, once you close the account your DLA will cease to update and the clock begins ticking. Eventually the account will be removed permanently from your credit reports.Why is this a bad thing? The answer to this one is very simple. It’s all about your impressive past. Here’s an analogy that might make this easier to understand. Let’s say hypothetically that you made straight A’s in high school. What if the record of that perfect scholastic accomplishment were permanently deleted seven years after you graduated? Would you ever want that history deleted? Of course you wouldn’t. This also applies in the credit reporting environment. If you have a perfect record of making your payments on time then this significantly helps your credit scores so why would you ever want that history to disappear? You wouldn’t.What should you do with old credit cards that you don’t use any longer? The problem with inactive credit cards is that you are not generating any revenue for the credit card company. Eventually they will proactively close the unused account because you are a liability, not an asset. Prevent this from happening by using the card once every few months for dinner or a low dollar item like socks or a new belt. Once the bill comes, pay it in full. Doing this will ensure that the account will never be closed and you’ll always get credit for your good payment history.
• You will hurt your “utilization” measurements – This is significantly more important than your closed accounts eventually falling off your credit reports. Revolving Utilization is the amount of your revolving credit card limits that you are currently making use of. For example, if you have an open credit card with a $2,000 credit limit and a $1,000 balance then you are 50% “utilized” on that account because you’re using half of the credit limit. This measurement is almost as important to your credit scores as making your payments on time. If you had a second open, but unused, credit card with a $2000 credit limit and a $0 balance then your aggregate revolving utilization is 25% because you have $4000 in credit limits and $1000 in balances. $1000 divided by $4000 is .25 or 25%.How will closing an unused credit card hurt your credit score? Let’s say that you closed that second unused credit card from the above example. Once you do so then you remove it from any utilization calculation and now you’re stuck with one open card with a $2000 credit limit and a $1000 balance. Now your utilization has gone from 25% to 50% (divide $1000 by $2000 and you get .50 or 50%). As this percentage increases, your credit score decreases.

2. Missing Payments

The reason missing payments is number two on the list instead of number one is that it doesn’t take a credit scoring expert to tell you that missing payments is a bad thing. It’s common sense, unlike Closing Credit Card Accounts. The explanation why missing payments is a huge mistake is also fairly obvious. Credit scores look at your credit history to see how you have managed your current and past credit obligations in an effort to predict how likely you are to miss payments in the future. The most powerful “predictor” of future late payments is having missed payments in your past. There are three ways that missing payments will hurt your credit scores. They are:

• How Frequent are Your Late Payments? – If you miss payments frequently then you will be penalized much more severely than someone who misses payments infrequently. Missing payments every once in a while indicates that you are a responsible consumer but you may have problems with finding the time to make your payments. Or, perhaps the bill was lost in the mail or you were out of town on travel when the bill came due. The point is that you are not making a habit of missing payments. Don’t start.
• How Recent are Your Late Payments? – Since scoring models are designed to predict how you are going to pay your bills in the subsequent 24 months, it’s very common that they assign more value to how you’ve managed your credit in the most recent two years. If you have late payments that have occurred in the most recent two years then you are more likely to miss more payments in the next two years. As such, your score will suffer.
• How Severe are Your Late Payments? – The severity of your late payment also plays a big part in your credit scores. This not only makes statistical sense but also common sense. Consumers who have missed payments by only a few weeks and then bring their payments up to date are going to score better than consumers who have payments that are 90 days past due or worse. If you have late payments it is in your best interest to do all that you can to bring them up to date.

3. Settling With Your Lender on a Past due Account

“Settling” is a term used in the consumer credit industry that means accepting less than the amount you owe on an account. For example, if you owe a credit card company $10,000 but you can’t pay them the full amount then they will likely make you a deal for less than that full amount. They have “settled” for less than the full amount, which is likely much less than you contractually owe them. This may seem like a good idea because you are happy that you didn’t have to pay the full amount. However, the lender will report that remaining amount to the credit bureaus as a negative item. This remaining amount is called the “deficiency balance”. A deficiency balance is considered just as negatively by credit scoring models as any other severe late payments. If you can arrange a deal with your lender so that they will NOT report the deficiency balance then that will be your best course of action. If they will not agree to this then you have to figure out a way to pay them in full or your credit will suffer for 7 years.

4. Over Utilization of Your Available Credit Card Limits

Having high balances on your credit cards will undoubtedly cause your credit scores to go down, and in most cases, in a big way. The mistake you are making is called “over utilization.” Over utilization is the practice of running up balances too close to your credit card limits. For example, if you have a Visa card with a credit limit of $10,000 and a $5,000 balance you have a utilization percentage of 50% because you are using 50% of your credit limit. The higher that percentage the fewer points you will earn for your credit scores. If your balance is $9,500 then you will be 95% utilized and in big trouble. Your best bet would be to use your cards sparingly and pay them down as much as possible each month. If paying your cards off every month is unrealistic then try your best to keep that percentage as low as possible. There is no magic target to shoot at, but it’s safe to say that the lower the percentage the better.

5. Excessively Shopping for Credit

Every time you fill out a credit application you are giving the lender permission to access your credit reports. When they access your credit reports they automatically post what is called an “inquiry”. The inquiry is a record of who pulled your credit report and on what date. Federal law requires that the lender post the inquiry. It also requires that the inquiry remain on the report for 24 months.

Inquiries are used by credit scoring models to determine whether or not someone is shopping for credit. It is a statistical fact that consumers who have more inquiries are higher credit risks than consumers with fewer inquiries. As such, the more inquiries you have the more points you will lose in your credit scores. While the exact point value is a closely guarded secret by the credit scoring companies you should assume that your scores would suffer if you have an excessive amount of inquiries.

Probably the most troublesome byproduct of holiday shopping is the collection of inquiries that consumers end up with. Think about this scene: you go to the mall to go shopping and are enticed by offers of “10% off today’s purchase” in exchange for applying for a store credit card. This sounds like a great idea because you are saving a few bucks on your purchases. But if you look at the big picture you will see that this is a horrible idea with dire consequences. If those excessive inquiries cost your credit score 10, 20 or 30 points you could expect to pay higher interest rates on either a future home or car loan. Either way, the thousands of additional dollars that you will spend in interest far outweigh the $20 you saved at the mall.

Think twice about applying for a store card simply to save a few dollars. It’s a better idea to pay for the product with cash, a check or a credit card you already have.

6. Thinking that all Credit Scores are the Same

Credit Scoring is already a confusing enough topic to understand. Add to the mix that there are as many different types of credit scores as there are soft drinks and it gets really confusing. The most commonly used credit score is a credit risk score. A credit risk score is designed to assist lenders by predicting whether or not a consumer will pay their bills on time in the future. The most common credit risk score is designed and developed by a company called Fair Isaac Corporation. This Minneapolis based company builds the industry standard “FICO” score. FICO is an acronym for Fair Isaac Corporation. The vast majority of lenders use their scoring models as part of their standard lending procedures.

There are many different places where consumers can purchase their credit reports and credit scores however not all of the scores being sold are, in fact, the authentic FICO score. On the surface this might not seem like a big deal but it certainly can be. For example, if you are in the market for a new car and you purchase a credit score from a web site that no lender uses then you are really no better prepared to go car shopping. If, however, you purchase the authentic FICO scores then you will have the same exact score that the car dealers will eventually see when they run your application for credit. This can be incredibly empowering for the shopper because you’ll know what your credit situation is before the dealer does. Given that there is a general distrust of car dealerships this will ensure a fair negotiation process when it comes to dealer financing. It will be more difficult to be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous dealership.

When you are shopping online for your credit reports and credit scores be sure that the score you are buying is branded as the authentic FICO® Credit Score. These can be purchased through various reputable web sites such as www.myfico.com and www.equifax.com.

7. Thinking that all Credit Scores Predict the Same Thing

Adding to the confusion in number six above is the fact that there are models that predict other things than general credit risk. Scoring models can be built to predict almost anything including:

• Insurance Risk – That’s right. Insurance companies use credit scoring models to predict whether or not you are likely to file an auto or homeowner’s insurance claim. A poor insurance score will mean that you will pay higher premiums or be declined coverage outright.
• Response Rates – Raise your hand if you receive pre-approved offers of credit in the mail everyday. There is an incredible amount of science behind those offers and why you get them. It’s not random. You have been selected from hundreds of millions of other consumers to receive that offer because you have a “Response Score” that indicates you are more likely to respond to that offer than someone else who didn’t get it.
• Revenue Potential – Credit card companies also use revenue scoring models to predict whether or not you will use their credit card and, therefore, generate revenue for them.
• Collect Ability – For those of you who have collections on your credit reports you can feel certain that the collection agencies assigned to collect those past due debts are also scoring you to determine whether or not you are likely to repay your collections.
• Bankruptcy Potential – Bankruptcy scores predict the likelihood that you will file for personal bankruptcy. You can assume that if you have a poor bankruptcy score that your credit applications will likely be declined.
• Attrition Potential – These scores predict whether or not you will stop using one card in lieu of another. This is called attrition and it is considered the cancer of the credit card industry. If you have a score that indicates that you are likely to attrite and start using another lender’s credit card then you should expect to begin receiving special bonus offers as an effort by your current credit card company to dissuade you from moving on to another card.
• Fraud Potential – Amazingly sophisticated, these models actually can predict whether or not a purchase you are trying to make with a credit card is fraudulent or not. What’s even more amazing is that it takes about 2 minutes to complete your check out at a store and in this short amount of time you have been scored to see whether or not the retailer will accept your credit card.

8. Not Understanding Your Rights Under The Fair Credit Reporting Act

This act, commonly referred to as the “FCRA”, is a list of the rules and regulations that govern lenders and the credit reporting agencies. You should become familiar with your rights under this act which can be accessed at no cost at the Federal Trade Commissions web site. The address is www.ftc.gov. Some highlights are:

• Permissible Purpose – There are only eight legal reasons why your credit reports can be accessed. These are called “Permissible Purposes.” Some of the more obvious reasons are:
  Consumer Disclosure – If you ask for a copy of your own credit report then this is a permissible purpose.
  As Part of a Legitimate Business Transaction – If you fill out an application for credit then this gives the lender permissible purpose to pull your credit reports.
• Your Right to Dispute Your Credit Information – Every consumer in the U.S who has a credit report also has the right to dispute the information in that report if they feel it is incorrect, outdated or unverifiable. The FCRA lays out the process and requirements on how to file a dispute and what kind of turnaround time your lenders and the credit reporting agencies have to complete their investigation.
• Your Right to a Free Copy of all Three of Your Credit Reports – Recently the FCRA was amended by an act called FACTA also known as the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. FACTA calls for national disclosure of credit reports for free. By September 2005 every person in the U.S can get a free copy of his or her three credit reports. Requesting your free copies if very easy. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to verify your eligibility.

9. Not Knowing that you Have Three Credit Reports and Three Credit Scores

Most consumers understand that they have a credit report. However, most consumers do not know that they have three credit reports compiled and maintained by three separate and competing companies called “Credit Reporting Agencies.” These companies are essentially warehouses that store your credit history and sell it to lenders who want to grant you credit. These companies are:

• Equifax – Equifax (NYSE: EFX) is based in Georgia. Their web address is www.equifax.com
• Experian – Experian is a division of an English based company called GUS (Great Universal Stores). Several years ago Experian purchased the credit database that was formerly known as TRW Credit Services. Their web address is www.experian.com and they have U.S corporate offices in California.
• TransUnion – Based in Illinois, TransUnion is privately held. Their web address is www.transunion.com.

Each of these companies maintains credit files on over 250,000,000 consumers, which they sell to lenders. They do not share credit information with each other since they are competitors. As such, you will likely have a unique credit report and credit score at each of these companies. Do not assume that your credit reports and scores are all the same.

10. Not Having Credit (or a Credit Score)

That’s right. Not using credit is a huge mistake. The way the credit system in this country works is that it rewards consumers who manage credit responsibly. The reward is in the form of easy access to inexpensive loans. However, choosing to not use credit will prevent you from building a solid credit history and score and will subsequently make it very difficult to secure home or auto loans when the time comes.

Secondly, not having a credit history will result in you not having a credit score. Credit scoring models depend on your previous credit history from which to generate a score. Not having a credit score will make it more difficult to apply for and obtain credit because most lenders use automated systems in order to process your applications. A lack of a credit score will make it more difficult for lenders to process your applications. Some will simply chose to decline your applications rather than manually process them.

Disclaimer: Your use of any information posted at Credit.com is subject to the Terms of Use. While Credit.com has used its best efforts to verify that the information presented on this Web site was correct at the time it was posted, Credit.com makes no express or implied warranty regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any such information.

This Ft. Smith Real Estate Market Report covers homes sold July 2009 and covers the entire Sebastian County Residential Sold homes.

• Homes sold:  136
• Average List price:  $136,540
• Average Sold price:  $131,195
• Average Days on Market:  122 days

The graph below breaks down homes sold and the price ranges.  This image will give you an opportunity to see what sales price are the most active in Ft. Smith Real Estate .

The following graph shows the break down of the Average Days on the Market!  This is important in Ft. Smith Real Estate because some homes have positioned the price of their home to be better, and with less days on the market!

You can see that 38% of the homes sold in July had been on the market for 120 days or more.

If you’re interested in buying or selling Ft. Smith Real Estate, please feel free to contact me in the form below!  My cell/text is 479-414-1894! 

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I often find myself giving great Props and honorable mentions to companies within the Ft. Smith Area in my blog.  Not Splash Gutters of Ft. Smith!

Splash Gutters of Ft. Smith (the Owner) issued open derogatory racial comments about ME!   Those comments echoed throughout a neighborhood in which I live to several of my neighbors, and my mother-in-law; so I know them to be true.  “Black Boy this, Black Boy that, that lil Black Boy, ******* Black Boy, and that ******* N&%@#!” 

Is that the conduct of a business owner???  I would hope and think not!  You know, you think you know someone until their TRUE colors come out!  Why do I have to be a color?  Why did you call me a boy? Oh and those explessive comments, PRICELESS!  All to show your true ignorance!  

YOU SAW ME!  YOU HEARD ME CALL YOUR NAME, BUT YOU DIDN’T STOP!  Hmmm, considering YOU knew it was me…

NOTE to SPLASH GUTTERS, had you done your job correctly (and Listened) in the First place, we wouldn’t be going through this.  You also wouldn’t involve yourself in matters that don’t pertain to you.  Seeing as you did, here I am!  BTW, my number is 479-414-1894!!!

I don’t Rant, but this is the exception to the rule.  I’m not easily upset, unless, you mess with my F.R.R.  Family, Religion, and Race!  Anything else, is fair game. 

So you can take that pretty blue water off the side of your truck and replace it with the this–>

What if my children had heard that stupidity flowing from your mouth?  What if children of any race had heard such things? 

Don’t make a person’s Civil Rights out to be a Black or White thing!  This is a homeowner’s right…not black, not white, not yellow or green…  Only Ignorant people still think in terms of color.

Splash Gutters (since most of the community doesn’t know who you are), if you’ve got something to say to RAY NELLUM, say it to my FACE!

In the end, YOU will NEVER get a referral from me, and beyond this being put on the WORLD WIDE WEB for Everyone to see your Racist Bigotry.  I will also send copies of this to several prominant individuals in the industry!

If you want to buy Gutters, well call someone other than the one mentioned above. FORT SMITH REAL ESTATE, “To Buy or Sell’um, Call Ray Nellum!” 479-414-1894.

Open Houses Sunday, August 16 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

300 Mountain Edge, Van Buren 

• $149,000
• 3 Bedrooms
• 2 Baths
• Split Floor Plan
• 1,718 Sq Ft approx.
• See Additional Photo’s in information by clicking here!

10206 Meandering Way

• $140,000
• 2,414 Sq Ft Approx
• $58 a square ft., the best price per sq ft in the neighborhood!
• 3 Bedrooms
• 2.5 Bathrooms
• 2 Living Areas
• See Additional Photo’s and information by clicking here!

Feel free to contact me to schedule your showing of either of these homes, and ANY home in the Fort Smith, Van Buren, and Greenwood Real Estate Markets!  My Cell/Text is 479-414-1894 and you can email me at Ray@RayNellum.com .

The weather forecast for this Sunday is hot, and so is the Fort Smith Real Estate Market Sunday Open Houses!  Get out of the heat and enjoy some of the great homes on the market.

I’m very pleased to offer to the market 3 amazing homes that will be Open Sunday July 12 from 1 pm to 3 pm.

1904 Eastgate Drive, Greenwood, AR is priced at $104,900!

10206 Meandering Way, Fort Smith, AR is priced at $140,000!

300 Mountain Edge, Van Buren, AR is priced at $149,000!

For additional information about these great homes or any other on the real estate market, please feel free to call me at 479-414-1894.

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