Posts Tagged ‘mel foster’

Ruhl&Ruhl Outsells Mel Foster Company

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

For the first time ever, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, the residential company, outsold Mel Foster Company in sales volume for the year of 2009.

According to the Real Trends 500 Report, Ruhl&Ruhl was ranked 174th nationally based on sales volume. There are over 8,000 real estate companies in the country. Mel Foster Co. was ranked 178th.

Ruhl&Ruhl’s residential sales volume in 2009 was $547,890,896 and the company had 3,770 transactions, at an average sales price of $145,329. On average, Ruhl&Ruhl sales associates sold 16.1 properties per agent in 2009, as either the listing agent or selling agent.

Mel Foster reported their residential sales volume in 2009 was $532,828,648 and they did 3,939 transactions, averaging $141,334 per deal. This equated to “almost 14 deals per agent,” according to their press release in the Quad City Times.

Real Trends also ranks companies by their number of transactions. Ruhl&Ruhl ranked 102 and Mel Foster ranked 93. Caroline Ruhl, President of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS notes that she is proud of her agents for outselling Foster agents based on doing 16.1 transactions per agent compared to Foster agents “doing almost 14 deals per agent.” She also is confident their residential volume will again exceed Mel Foster’s volume in 2010.

Ruhl&Ruhl had previously reported that they had outsold Mel Foster when they combined their residential volume of $547,890,896 with NAI Commercial Company’s sales volume of $147,692,346, giving the combined companies a total volume of $695,583,242.

Mel Foster had reported a total residential and commercial sales volume of $600,480,000 for 2009, down 12% from 2008.

A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS annually sells approximately 3,400 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin.  Caroline Ruhl is the President and owner of Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS, and is the fourth generation of the Ruhl family to lead the residential brokerage and home services company.  Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the company has 250 sales associates and 50 employees based in sales offices located in Bettendorf, Bellevue, Clinton, Coralville, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Maquoketa, and Muscatine, in Iowa, and in Moline, Illinois.  In addition to residential sales, Ruhl&Ruhl offers services in relocation, new home sales, farm sales, senior services, real estate investment, property management and mortgage services through 1862 Mortgage.  For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl, visit their website at http://www.ruhlhomes.com/ .

How to score an offer

Friday, November 20th, 2009

You know the house — the nice brick one you drive past every day. The Smith family lives there, and it’s been on the market for months without a buyer.

Yet, there’s the Jones’ house, same model, just around the corner. That yard sign hasn’t been up for more than a few weeks and it already says “under contract.” What do they know that the Smiths don’t?

Real estate is never an exact science, especially in today’s market. But the reality is that sellers who are prepared and ready to sell their home are more likely to accomplish their goals than sellers who don’t make the same commitment to the process.

Here are a few “secrets” that I like to share with my sellers. Whether you’re thinking of selling or buying, I think you’ll agree that these tips can make a big difference.

Professional Staging. Good staging suggests how buyers can make the most out of the home’s area and spaces, and allows them to envision how they can live a clutter-free, ultra-chic lifestyle — even with a family of small children.

Well-maintained landscaping and outdoor living spaces. Everyone wants to view their home as a relaxing retreat. Indulge their fantasy with a lush lawn.

Everything neat as a pin. Minor flaws draw attention away from the finer features of a nice home. Patch, paint, tighten and repair everything before listing your home for sale.

Low price compared to others. If your home is priced lower than others of similar size and quality, you automatically become the buyer’s choice.

Accessible for showing. The more difficult for an agent to show your home, the fewer buyers they will bring. Make your home available on short notice to attract maximum attention.

Great photos on the Web. When your home is entered into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), it is immediately exposed to thousands of agents and their clients. First impressions make a huge difference! Make sure your home is the “shiny red apple” with professional photos, in “show ready” condition from Day One.

Article Courtsey Of: Allen Tate Realtors


Copyright © 2012 Ruhl & Ruhl REALTORS. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: All content on this blog is my own opinion and should not be treated as fact or relied upon when purchasing or selling real estate.