An award for Dale Warfel

San Jose, CA, May 13, 2008 - Dale Warfel, a member of Santa Clara county association or realtors®, was recently awarded the Certified Short-Sale Professional (CSP) designation. Warfel joins a select and growing group of real estate agents who have recognized the importance of providing this value-added service to their clients. In today’s increasingly competitive real estate market, these trained agents set themselves apart by helping homeowners navigate through the process of short selling their home before it goes into foreclosure.

Warfel earned the CSP designation by completing the prescribed online coursework and completing an end-of-course competency-based test. The Certified Short-Sale Professional course is designed to provide agents with the tools and knowledge they need to effectively guide their client through the short-sale process. Unlike normal real estate transactions a short-sale requires particular care and additional work to be completed smoothly and, if done improperly, may cause the homeowner to go into foreclosure.

Armed with the CSP designation and an increased awareness of the principles of short sales, real estate professionals such as Dale Warfel are immediately able to better serve their current and prospective home sellers that may need to short sale their home. This knowledge sets the individuals who have attained the CSP apart from their peers, because it gives them the tools to assess a homeowner’s situation and properly guide them and the buyer of the property through all the necessary approval processes required to short sale a home. A CSP will be able to help the owner prepare the required documentation, navigate through the mortgage framework and keep the homeowner’s property from being foreclosed upon.
For general information visit www.CertifiedShortSaleProfessional.com. For a free preliminary assessment of your short-sale needs, contact Dale Warfel, your local Certified Short-Sale Professional at (408) 624-6202.
Dale has been employed as a full-time Realtor® at Keller Williams Realty in San Jose since 2004. Keller Williams Realty is currently the 4th largest real estate company in the US and Canada. Dale’s consultative approach with his clients gives them confidence that their interests are always his highest priority. Dale can be reached at (408) 624-6202, via e-mail at Dale@DaleWarfel.com, or online at www.DaleWarfel.com.

About RealtyU Group, Inc.
RealtyU Group, Inc. is the largest career development company in the country with both online and offline learning platforms. This real estate course focuses on enhancing professional skills needed by real estate brokers and agents to provide true “value added” service to today’s home seller. The Certified Short-Sale Professional course is one of many professional designations that are part of the RealtyU® Family (www.RealtyU.com) of career development companies and services.

The best time to sell your house

Spring is the hottest season for real estate. The real estate market peaks in April and May and stays strong in June and July. It's a good season for families to move, between school terms and while the weather is warm. People have just received their tax refunds, which they can use to help finance a down payment. And the nice weather and beautiful flowers in spring and early summer make it a great time to show your home.

In fact, a full 60 percent of America's real estate activity takes place in the summer. But closing a home sale can take weeks, so it's a good idea to list your home early in the season.

August brings a lag in sales, as people go away on vacation and start to think about the new school year. Then real estate sales surge briefly in the fall before dropping in winter as buyers and sellers focus on the holidays. But by January, buyers are out again, and home sales steadily increase into spring.

However, if you miss the season, there is no need to panic. Homes can be sold in winter too. Typically homes are decorated during the holiday season and the competition is weak. Buyers may even want to take advantage of the tax deductions and may not get involved in long negotiating process. This would ensure a quick sale with little bargaining.

Due consideration should be given to local factors which may influence a particular market. Local economy is an important factor in deciding which season is the best one for a seller. A layoff in the local plant or factory may mean that spring is not necessarily the best time. Similarly, a start of a new industry may tilt the equations at the other end of the spectrum.

Factors such as mortgage rates and inflation in the economy will also decide a “good season” for real estate activity. These are beyond the seasonal variations and careful observation of local and national issues is necessary to track this.