http://www.winnipeghomefinder.com 6 most common mistakes made by home-sellers. How to avoid them and get top dollar for your house or condo. Selling mistake #6: Inadequate Marketing for the house or condo.

As I expected, the Thanksgiving holiday week was on the quiet side for Redmond real estate sales.  But the important thing is that people got to be with friends, family, and enjoy a great meal.

The first time home buyer tax credit has been expanded and extended, which is great news for home sellers and buyers.  If you plan to make a move and are buying a home under $800,000, then you may be eligible to receive a tax credit. Not only will first time buyers be the beneficiaries of the tax credit, but many move-up or move-down buyers can also get a piece of the home buyer tax credit, and that could mean you!

With the tax credit, the low interest rates, and the lower inventory, if you are thinking of making a move next year, earlier in the year would be better.  The number of homes for sale, the competition seems to creep up in the spring and summer.

For this week’s full report see below:

View Larger Map

In real estate terms, we call this area 530. The area of Redmond called Education Hill is north of Redmond Town Center and is not part of this report.  The area represented by the statistics posted below is Redmond, 98052, south of highway 908 and east of 140th Ave NE. The neighborhoods are all within shouting distance of Microsoft. In real estate terms, we call this area 530. The area of Redmond called Education Hill is north of Redmond Town Center and is not part of this report. The numbers in parentheses show last week’s totals. All numbers are gathered on Monday morning from NWMLS (Northwest Multiple Listing )information.

Number of homes for sale: 54 (54)

New listings: 1 (1)

$350,000-$499,999: 23 (21)

$500,000-$749,999: 17 (18)

$750,000-$999,999: 6 (7 )

$1,000,000- $1,499,999: 4 (4)

$1,500,000- $2,999,999: 2 (2)

$3,000,000+ 1 (1)
———————————–
Average Asking Price of Homes for Sale: $697,200 ($707,996)

Median Asking Price of Homes for Sale: $539,925 ($549,500)

Average Days on Market: 132 (128)

Highest Priced Listing: $4,280,000 ($4,280,000)

Lowest Priced Listing: $279,950 ($279,950)

New listings: There was only one new listing for sale this past week in Redmond, near Microsoft.

Pending inspections and pending: Redmond home sales were slow for the Thanksgiving week as home buyers and sellers were focused on family and turkey.

There was one new home sales this week.

Price reductions: Price reductions were not as many as we’ve seen recently, which is a reflection of the lower number of homes for sale.

Homes off the market (homes that did not sell): One

Home sales: Four home sales closed this week.

Median and average pricing is similar to last week when it jumped up with the new listing on the market, a waterfront property for $4,280,000.

Closed Sales Of The Week:

$416,000, last asking price: $435,000, original asking price: $450,000, sold in 30 days, 8% below the original price.

$465,000, last asking price: $480,000, original asking price: $550,000, sold in 136 days, 16% below the original price.

$500,000, last asking price: $500,000, original asking price: $519,950, sold in 137 days, 4% below the original price.

$590,000, last asking price: $630,000, original asking price: $674,900, sold in 284 days, 13% below the original price.

Peak of homes for sale so far for 2009:

7-27-09   13,861

Now:

11-23-09  11,797

The second lowest weekly number of properties for sale in King County in all of 2009.  The week with the lowest number of homes on the market was January 5th, the first week of the year.

Easley SC Real Estate Properties and Homes for Sale

Easley SC Entry Level Homes for Sale {under $150k}	Easley South Carolina Median Homes {$150k~$300k}	FREE Quick Over-The-Net Home Evaluation
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Greer SC Real Estate and Homes for Sale

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Greer South Carolina Upscale Homes {$300k~$600k}	Greer SC Area Luxury Homes {$600k~$1m}	Greer SC Million Dollar Homes {over $1million}
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On November 25^th MLS held its expansion draft to provide Philadelphia Union with a nucleus of players. Expansion drafts are tricky- every player selected is a player that, for one reason or another, somebody else doesn’t want. Piotr Nowak and his staff now have to take these players and hope to add a “designated player” who will have an instant impact, sign some free agents from MLS and beyond, and maybe, if they are lucky, find a hidden gem in the two open tryouts which they are in the midst of holding.

Let’s take a look at the players Philadelphia chose and hazard a guess or two at why they chose those players. After that, we’ll take a look at some of the prominent players that were not chosen and why that was. Finally, a brief look at what we can surmise from these picks/non-picks about what Piotr Nowak is trying to build for 2010 as well as the draft’s wider implications. First, though, a look at the draft rules:

Draft Rules:

-The expansion team can only select ten players.

-Only one player may be selected from each team.

-Teams are allowed to protect 11 players on their 28-man rosters.

-Generation Adidas players are automatically protected.

-Teams with 4 or more international players must protect 3 of them. If a team has 3 or fewer international players it must protect 2 of them.

-Any developmental players selected must be moved up to the senior roster for the 2010 season.

Given those restrictions, here’s what Philadelphia did:

Current Philadelphia Union Roster

Jordan Harvey (D), Colorado Rapids: A curious pick at best. Harvey has four years of MLS experience, but has done little to distinguish himself during those years.

Andrew Jacobson (M), D.C. United: Jacobson looks like a player worth taking a chance on. Although his MLS experience is minimal, he did spend a season in the reserve team of Ligue 1’s Lorient and has had tryouts/trained with a few other European clubs. Jacobson is young, has good size for a midfielder, and it will be interesting to see how he develops.

Brad Knighton (GK), New England Revolution: Given the goalkeepers available in the draft, I think this was a good pick. Knighton is still young and, based on the times I saw him with the Revolution, what he needs to do to improve is to play more- and he should get that chance with Philadelphia.

Sebastien Le Toux (F), Seattle Sounders: I like this pick a lot. Le Toux was a standout player during his time with the Sounders in their USL incarnation and he always looked dangerous while on the field for Seattle in their debut season in MLS.

Stefani Miglioranzi (M), Los Angeles Galaxy: While I understand this pick, I would have gone for the younger, scrappier, and more defensively oriented Ned Grabavoy (see below). Miglioranzi is a skilled playmaker, but he’s not going to be dishing the ball to Donovan and Beckham in Philadelphia and that may limit his effectiveness.

Alejandro Moreno (F), Columbus Crew: Moreno is a proven goal scorer despite spending most of his career on teams where he was not the “first option.” My only question is, how will Piotr Nowak feel about a player who dives- all-of-the-time. Seriously, as you read this he has just dropped to his living room floor after brushing his shin against the coffee table.

David Myrie (D), Chicago Fire: This is safe pick- but a good one. Myrie has already played in Spain and his native Costa Rica and is on track to be full “Tico” in the near future- he’s only 21. He also has good size for a defender and comes from a footballing family- his brother, Roy, is a full Costa Rican international who plays in Belgium’s Jupiler League.

Shea Salinas (M), San Jose Earthquakes: This is a solid pick. Salinas is only 23, already has two seasons of MLS experience, and he has a good college pedigree- he played at Furman, which also produced Ricardo Clark and one Clinton Drew Dempsey.

Chris Seitz (GK), Real Salt Lake: Sietz is another big, young goalkeeper with a strong collegiate background- he won the NCAA championship while at Maryland- who can battle with Brad Knighton for the top keeper spot.

Shavar Thomas (D), Chivas USA: Thomas will likely be counted on to anchor Philadelphia’s back line. He played under Ray Reid at UConn, played over 150 MLS matches, and is a seasoned Jamaican international. A good pick.

Nick Zimmerman (M), New York Red Bulls: Zimmerman is a young, talented (if in experienced) player who, if nothing else, will revel in the fact that he is no longer a New York Red Bull- that can only be good for his attitude and performance.

Selected Unprotected and Undrafted Players

Cuauhtémoc Blanco (M/F), Chicago Fire: Too expensive, a prima donna, and his MLS future is too uncertain.

Ante Razov (F), Chivas USA: He’s a proven goal scorer, but he’s 35 and expensive- not a good combination in MLS.

Pat Noonan, (F), Colorado Rapids: Noonan left the Revolution to play in Norway at the end of the 2008 season and since then he’s played in 44 matches (Aalesund, Columbus, and Colorado) and scored three times. He had 42 goals in 136 appearances for the Revolution and 12 USMNT caps as well. Something happened to Pat Noonan’s career, and I’d love to know what it was.

Frankie Hejduk (D/M), Columbus Crew: Too old and too expensive is my guess, but I’d sure like to have him on any team I was starting.

Luciano Emilio (F), D.C. United: He’s a proven goalscorer in MLS- 41 in 83 appearances- but his price is probably to high and Philadelphia may like to make a splash with their own “designated player,” not somebody else’s.

Josh Wicks (GK), D.C. United: Wick’s is young, talented…and may have ruined his career because he can’t control his temper. D.C. didn’t want him enough to protect him, and it appears that Philadelphia didn’t think his talent was worth the baggage he would bring to the team.

Dave van den Bergh (D/M/F), F.C. Dallas: This is one that I think Philadelphia missed. He’s a bit old (33), and probably makes a decent salary, but he can play anywhere on the pitch, has good size, and a knack for scoring important goals, and would provide some leadership for a young team.

Wade Barrett (D), Houston Dynamo: Barrett may be on the downside of his career and lack size for a defender, but he was good enough to captain both of the Dynamo’s championship sides. Seems to me, if it worked financially, he’d be a no-brainer who could bring some stability on and off the pitch.

Ricardo Clark (M), Houston Dynamo: Clark won’t be in MLS next year and Philadelphia- and everyone else- knows that.

Pat Onstad (GK), Houston Dynamo: Nobody wants a 41 year old keeper, right? Wrong. My guess is that Philadelphia know he’s still good enough to be a starter (anyone who saw him play this year can see that he’s still one of the top five keepers in MLS) and didn’t want to overpay for a player who might be gone two years later.

Adam Cristman (F), Kansas City Wizards: I’m surprised that the Wizards left him unprotected and that Philadelphia didn’t draft him. His strike rate might seem “okay” (10 in 46 while with New England), but having seen him play I can tell you that few of those 46 appearances were for the full 90 minutes. If you do the math (divide his total minutes by 90), he’s a 10-12 goal scorer over the course of a season.

Alecko Eskandarian (F), Los Angeles Galaxy: Nobody wants to hear it, but Eskandarian is a “never was.” He scored 20 times in 81 matches for a very good D.C. United side, but since then has played for four MLS clubs and scored 10 times in 44 matches. He’s a sub at best, and you don’t waste draft picks on subs.

Jovan Kirovski (F), Los Angeles Galaxy: Kirovski is an expensive “forward” who has produced 26 goals 6 MLS seasons- he didn’t have a chance of being drafted. And he shouldn’t have had one.

Eddie Lewis (M/F), Los Angeles Galaxy: Still a good player, but too old and too expensive.

Jay Heaps (D), New England Revolution: As good as Heaps has been for the Revolution, he’s probably not the player you want to build your defense around. He likes to get forward, take chances, etc., and he needs to be part of a solid back line to do that- not to be it’s anchor.

Ned Grabavoy (M), Real Salt Lake: This is another one that would have been a no-brainer for me if I were Piotr Nowak. He’s small, not overly-skilled, but he’s not afraid to make a tackle, will run all day, and is still only 26. Real Salt Lake should consider themselves lucky to have kept him.

Clint Mathis (M/F), Real Salt Lake: Clint Mathis- who I kind of like- on a team coached by Piotr Nowak would have been entertaining, but a mistake, a BIG mistake.

Bobby Convey (M), San Jose Earthquakes: Do you realize that only nine months ago Convey was still at Reading? Being drafted by Philadelphia might have been just what he needed to get his career back on track, but I can understand Philadelphia not wanting to take the chance.

So, what, if anything, can we learn about Nowak’s intentions and the direction of the team? I think the one thing I can see from even just these ten players is that there is going to be a lot of competition for spots in the starting eleven- especially in the middle of the field and in the goal. It also looks as though, with the possible exception of Miglioranzi and Moreno, Nowak has chose players with something to prove- be it that they have more than just “potential” or that their previous teams just never gave them a chance to shine. It will be a lot easier to judge the direction of the squad once Philadelphia has filled out the rest of the roster.

Beyond Philadelphia there are a few things we can learn from the 2009 Expansion Draft. First, that the powers-that-be at Chivas USA are determined to “clean house.” Preki is gone (to Toronto) and the club left more players unprotected than almost any other team, including such mainstays as Ante Razov, Jim Curtin, Sasha Victorine, Jesse Marsch, and Eduardo Lillingston. Some these players- maybe even many of them- will be back on the team in 2010, but by not protecting them management has sent a very strong message- making the playoffs is not enough.

Finally, and much like the NFL and other leagues with salary caps, it is clear that in MLS, playing ability often has nothing to do with whether or not a club chooses to hold on to a player/protect the player from the expansion draft. Whether it be through the expansion draft or trades between teams, if a player is too expensive the move is not going to happen, no matter how beneficial it might be to the teams involved or the league as a whole. This was a sound approach in the earlier years of MLS, but it might be time for the league to loosen the purse strings just a little to see what effect it has on the quality of the leauge.

Everyone ready for the league’s 15^th season to kick-off?!

Des Moines Real Estate Statistics Week Ending 11-27-09
Week Ending November 27, 2009

Pending Sales this shortened week are down approximately 1/3 over last week.  Warm weather continuing into December is what home sellers and REALTORS are hoping for!

Total Number of Homes For Sale in the Des Moines Area – 4751
New Listings Taken During the Last 7 Days – 138
Accepted Offers (Pendings) During the Last 7 Days – 63
Homes Closed (Solds) During the Last 7 Days – 118
Average Sale Price of Solds – $157,842
Average Days On Market of Solds – 74

If you would like to search for homes in the Des Moines area, feel free to visit my website.  I don’t require a login or password and collect no information about you.  You can always contact me if you have questions. 
Click Here to begin your own home search or go to http://search.homesbyles.iow.mlxchange.com

Les Sulgrove, Iowa Real Estate Solutions, LLC

Information on this blog posting is for informational purposes only and not intended as solicitation if you are already working with a REALTOR®.

There is no obligation or fee for any information on this blog posting.
Data Source: Les Sulgrove, Iowa Real Estate Solutions, LLC
Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® MLS.
Des Moines Metropolitan Area defined as: Adel, Altoona,
Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Des Moines, Dallas Center,
Desoto, Granger, Grimes, Indianola, Johnston, Norwalk,
Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Urbandale, Van Meter ,Waukee,
West Des Moines, Windsor Heights, Winterset

Former Lorient player Sébastien Le Toux has been selected as the fourth pick by the expansion franchise Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft.

Le Toux had come up through the Rennes youth system, before playing for Lorient’s senior squad for two years, with the midfielder netting one goal in fifteen games. In 2007, Le Toux made a move to the Seattle Sounders, while the team was still in the USL. In 2008, he was part of the MLS Sounders side that finished 4th overall in the MLS.

Le Toux, who is one of the founders of the French Soccer Academy (which hopefully we will be doing a piece on soon) in Washington State, is considered to be a hard-working play and that gives it everything he has, according to Seattle Time’s soccer writer Jose Romero. Romero also said that Le Toux worked will with the fans, which is ever so important for expansion teams like The Union.

Le Toux was picked as the 4th player of the Expansion Draft and is considered to be one of the senior players on the field for the Union.

Le Toux said that he would be interested in playing for the US National Team. He said that the US has “accepted him” and would be honored to play for the country.

A mi me agrada la Major League Soccer (Liga de fútbol de EEUU), en general estoy complacido y sorprendido del éxito y gran evolución del fútbol de los Estados Unidos. Me preguntarán ¿por qué?… pues solo vasta con ver su mejora en los años, a pesar de no tener un pasado y pasión futbolera de años:

“Trabajo a largo plazo” y el fútbol – EEUU, un ejemplo. Perú, una promesa incumplida:

Me agrada la MLS, porque EEUU a logrado en 10 años lo que varios sudamericanos “amantes del fútbol” no han podido hacer en 30. Años que, por ejemplo en el Perú se pasaron hablando de “trabajo a largo plazo”.

Que alguien me explique que es “trabajo a largo plazo”; si 30 años no lo son entonces… ¿qué lo es?.

Zimmerman: Unionized

MLS expansion team Philadelphia Union picked its first 10 players yesterday. Here they are:

Goalkeeper: Brad Knighton, New England Revolution (backup)

Defenders: Shavar Thomas, Chivas USA; Jordan Harvey, Colorado, David Myrie, Chicago

Midfielders: Nick Zimmerman, New York; Stefani Miglioranzi, Los Angeles, Shea Salinas, San Jose, Andrew Jacobson, D.C. United

Forwards: Alejandro Moreno, Columbus; Sebastien LeToux, Seattle

Snap judgment: Philly still has the SuperDraft to go, a potential Designated Player and possible allocations and discovery players, so it’s obviously very early, but this group skews pretty young. At 32, Miglioranzi is the grizzled vet of the selection, followed by Moreno, 30, who won the 2008 MLS Cup with Columbus. We were impressed by Miglioranzi in LA’s midfield this season before he went down with a groin injury, and Moreno has been a consistent performer in MLS.

Nick Zimmerman was a rare bright spot in New York this season, and knowing that franchise’s luck, he’ll probably rocket to stardom in Philadelphia. Thomas is a solid if unspectacular MLS defender, a description that also fits left back Harvey. Myrie is a 21-year-old Costa Rican without a lot of MLS PT.

We didn’t see much of Salinas this past season, but other observers describe him as a speedy winger with lots of potential, some even saying they were surprised the Earthquakes left him unprotected in this draft. Jacobson left Cal Berkeley for France, then bounced back to MLS and hasn’t seen much of the field as a pro.

We were expecting more from LeToux in Seattle this season, and no doubt the player himself had higher hopes. Maybe the change of scenery, and Nowak’s tutelage, will do him good.

It’s a young, mostly workmanlike crew, but Nowak has a proven track record of success, so it’s not unreasonable for Philly fans to trust his picks here, and have faith that he’ll round out the group with wise SuperDraft picks, a quality discovery player and maybe a DP star. Time, of course, will tell.

To be a fan in America is a delicate thing; a mess of contradictions, an attempt to both figure out our own way and to do things correctly.

We had the MLS Cup Final in Seattle this weekend. It was a cold game, and not exactly the exciting blowout I’m sure the MLS wanted, it was an interesting event to be a part of. It’s not exactly the Champions League but I think we all know that. Watching Landon Donovan shank a penalty was funny, especially while Beckham scored his. I’m not sure how I feel about a losing team being the champions, but that’s the way things are here.

At “our” bar, the one that ECS hangs out in, there were visitors from Los Angeles for several nights. Specifically, they were from the Riot Squad. I and several of my friends had a blast spending time with them, drinking, bullshitting, comparing our cities and atmosphere. I felt like we did our best to be good hosts and hopefully that was appreciated.

Of course, not everyone agreed that we should have done that. Any armchair football sociologist will probably tell you that it’s about tribalism, about declaring your area better than others, about defending your own territory. That sort of thing is always the first to come up when people start writing about football, and it’s something that’s taken to heart here. Like anywhere else, places are “ours.” Our bars, our stadiums.

The difference in America is that it’s hard to be completely isolated. Unlike in European countries, we’re not the dominant group, and we need the rest of the league to succeed in a way that other countries don’t. In larger, more established leagues your team is the only thing that matters, but we have to worry about the overall health of MLS. For us to keep having the Sounders, we need the rest of the league to work.

There’s also the sense that we’re already a tribe, by virtue of being into the sport at all. By caring about soccer we’re already allied in opposition to an outside force (even if we are fans of other sports). We already have our ideals and our territories. Fans of other teams, in some ways, are part of our group already. They care about MLS. They do things like we do, in a different way than non soccer fans do. They’ll have the same experience of singing songs, of opposition stadiums, of an uncaring mainstream.

That’s not to say that there aren’t rivalries as fierce as anywhere, although that’s for another post. But outside of those direct rivalries, I’ve always thought there were more similarities than differences.

But that doesn’t mean everyone agrees with me. Having opposition fans, any opposition fans, in “our” territory is not the right thing to do in a traditional sense for many, and in a lot of ways Americans are all about what we believe tradition to be. Often times, if it’s not done in England (or sometimes other places) it’s just not how it’s done. Soccer is a way of connecting with the rest of the world, so it makes sense that we look to the outside for our inspiration. We want to participate in the same way that people do in the rest of the world. We want to be like it is in books, in blog posts, in what we see of Europe. We are watching the game, after all, to participate in their worlds.

However, there is precedent for letting other fans in, which I like to bring up at every argument. In the Bundesliga they have what is known as a “Fanfreundschaft,” literally a fan friendship. They start for various reasons, decades ago, normally nothing more than what brought LARS to our bar, and perpetuated because, why not? There is a framework for them, a validation in German football culture, and so they’re allowed. Like everything else in fan culture, once they became the way things are done they get to stay that way. But I haven’t seen it extended to a wide degree anywhere outside of Germany, and even there the connections are to German clubs. I’m not sure what it is about Germany and the Bundesliga gave rise to them, although I’d like to find out.

And in the future, I’d like to see if something similar develops in the United States. I don’t know whether it will or even can, but to me, it seems worth watching. What is American culture if not elements of everywhere else?

How important is it to set a routine for a two-and-a-half year old? Well, I really don’t know. While my Miss Little Sunshine is at her perkiest best at night and not so much of an early riser, sending her to her playway has become a struggle every day. Now, Delhi has woken up to winters and making her wake up even at 8.30am is a task. Then getting her ready for her school is just too much of a pressure cooker waiting to explode. Constantly, I am threatening her that she will miss her van so that she opens her eyes. At the end of it, I am completely stressed out.

Now, it is a task making her go to bed by 10pm which I think is the ideal time for her to sleep. So we all have to be packed for the day as she refuses to sleep if even one of us stays awake. Then, while in bed, she loves reciting her poems. The poor girl is threatened that if she doesn’t shut her mouth and sleep she will not be able to go to school the next day. Now that is something which works coz come hell or high tide, she would not like to miss her school. The poor MLS struggles hard to sleep, settling in different positions so that sleep comes her way.

How do you put a toddler into a schedule? She had almost fallen into a routine when last week we went out of town for a wedding. This made her schedule go completely haywire. How do you make children understand the concept of time? Or is it too much to ask for from a toddler?

Yanks-Abroad is a great site.  I read it near religiously.   You should too.

The name alone, however, suggests its latent bias – one toward a preference for US players that are playing abroad, and a (general) disinterest in MLS.    That made Brent Latham’s new Yanks Abroad piece “PHILLY..GO AMERICAN!” such a peculiar and interesting one.  It is a worthy read, so I won’t recap it here, but needless to say he makes an interesting argument that the Philadelphia Union has a unique opportunity to go 100% American with its roster – and that it might actually be a good idea.

A thought provoking idea, for sure, but I am struggling with some of the surrounding analysis. Here are some themes or points Brent made that trouble me a bit.

The fact that more US players leading the scoring charts would “…fight a trend that threatens to make it less relevant on the international soccer scene.” 

This depends on how you define international soccer “relevance.”    I could see a few ways to build “relevance”: 

A) MLS clubs start beating International club teams from top leagues in something that matters,

B) MLS clubs compete for or sign players who are respected/desired by European clubs or

C) MLS provides talent to International clubs that succeed in the best leagues.  

MLS Clubs do not do “A” very frequently.  Superliga – though entertaining – is a weak competition in terms of international respect – at least outside of Mexico.  Well, perhaps within Mexico too . . .   The MLS All Star Game?  Good fun.  But not “real” by any stretch of the imagination.

I would say that “B” almost REQUIRES the player to be an International, since any American player “coming home” provides a built-in excuse for the Euro’s to say he’s headed to MLS for “non-sporting reasons.”     And for relevance, to me it is hard to name four bigger things MLS has done lately than the additions of David Beckham, Freddie Ljungberg, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and perhaps Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Blanco might only add Mexican respect, and GBS may only add South American credibility, but still . . . )  These players came, played hard but they were not able to dominate the league.

The “C” option is likely where we have more chance and history of “relevance” in the international soccer community.  Providing talent to European or other top-tier international teams.  However, I think it matters little to the “international soccer scene” if the players we are growing, showcasing and/or selling come from the USA, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago or anywhere else.     

MLS will be relevant if it is successful as a feeder system to them, not for where those players come from.   There is a difference between US Soccer relevance and MLS relevance.

Another general theme is: while Europe is probably the best place for a young American creative talent to develop, they might be well served with more options in the USA.

I generally agree – the more options for American players, the better.   I think the evidence is out on if/when there is a right time to jump to Europe – especially for “creative” players.  So many of our promising US Players end up floundering post transfer (Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu are easy examples.)  Would Landon Donovan be better if he stayed in (or went back to) to Europe?  Maybe.

The interesting thing I struggle with here though, isn’t that more MLS options for creative/offensive American players in MLS is a bad thing – surely not – but the suggestion that including international players alongside them stunts their growth.   Yes, there are only so many positions on the field, thus limiting overall chances when there’s an experienced foreign international player.  

However, I’d be curious to measure (impossible, of course) what difference Carlos Valderamma made on Steve Ralston’s game.   Or what effect Guillermo Barros Schelotto is having on Eddie Gaven or Robbie Rodgers?  Etc.  Etc.

Hey, there are other successful clubs that do this, why not in Philly?

Examples of Chivas Guadalajara and Athletic Bilbao are given to prove that an “all local” team can survive or even thrive.  The problem I see is that – that both Chivas and Athletic have a terrific feeder system and development capability (or at least, I suspect so) by which they can source (grow? groom?) local talent.   (Especially Athletic, since Chivas can “buy” good Mexican talent more easily than Athletic can “buy” good Basque talent.)    MLS clubs development and youth programs are nascent, to be kind, and far from reliable.   This presents a significant hurdle since one American-only club will have trouble out-bidding others for American talent in MLS.

So I’m against this “All American Team” thing, right?

No, not at all.  In fact, in “What is a ‘Chivas’ anyway?” I suggested that – in a very different direction than the go-America theme – maybe Chivas USA blew it when they gave up their ambitious All-Latino goal.   Why not have a themed team?

Brent rightly calls out some risks – but leans heavily on the “marketing value” associated with “Team USA” as a saving grace.   That however, might be the biggest risk.  Do US fans still need some convincing that American players are the headliners?   David Beckham isn’t here just because he hits good crosses and free-kicks, now is he?

Marketability – as well as capability – would be key to building such a team.   I suspect Freddy Adu (“Wunderkind comes Home”) is looking for playing time.     Maybe Jermaine Jones (“Loves the USA so much he Dumped Germany!”) is interested?

Como vocês já sabem o Philadelphia Union faz sua estreia na MLS em 2010 e nesta quarta-feira foi divulgada a lista com os jogadores que vão atuar pelo time na próxima temporada. Confira:

• Brad Knighton (New England Revolution)
• David Myrie (Chicago Fire)
• Shavar Thomas (Chivas USA)
• Jordan Harvey (Colorado Rapids)
• Shea Salinas (San Jose Earthquakes)
• Stefani Miglioranzi (Los Angeles Galaxy)
• Andrew Jacobson (DC United)
• Nick Zimmerman (New York Red Bulls)
• Alejandro Moreno (Columbus Crew)
• Sebastian LeToux (Seattle Sounders FC)

Fiquem ligados para mais informações!

http://www.winnipeghomefinder.com 6 most common mistakes made by home-sellers. How to avoid them and get top dollar for your house or condo. Selling mistake #5: Being Present during the showings.

Simpsonville South Carolina Real Estate – Weekly Residential Market Conditions, Homes Sold, Listings and Homes for Sale – November 22nd – November 28th 2009 – Greenville County SC

For the week of November 22nd to November 28th 2009, there were 8 homes that closed escrow in the Simpsonville SC real estate market. High list price for these sold homes (including Condos and Townhouses) was $1,210,000, Low list price was $132,000, Average list price was $303,400, Median list price was $168,700, and total list price volume was $2,427,200.

High sold price for these 8 sold residential homes was $1,075,000, Low sold price was $130,000, Average sold price was $276,862, Median sold price was $155,250, and total sold price volume was $2,214,900. High Days on Market (DOM) was 378 days, Low DOM was 6 days, Average DOM was 83 days, and Median DOM was 37 days.

There were 3 residential homes that went under Pending or Contingency Contract status in Simpsonville during this period. High list price for these homes was $354,900, Low list price was $154,000, Average list price was $236,266, Median list price was $199,900, and total volume was $708,860. High DOM for these Pending and Contingency contract homes was 139 days, Low DOM was 74 days, Average DOM was 102 days, and Median DOM was 94 days.

13 homes were newly listed in Simpsonville during this period. High list price price for these homes for sale was $499,900, Low list price was $134,900, Average list price was $246,573, Median list price was $178,900, and total new listings volume was $3,205,450. 

Statistics used in this post was gathered from the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors inc. Multiple Listing System. These statistics may not include sales like new construction or For Sale by Owners that were brokered by member firms.

Remember: The $8,000 first-time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been extended to April 30th, and has also been expanded to include a $6,500 tax credit for move-up buyers who have occupied their home for at least five years.

Please Contact Victor Amadi at 864-525-0201 for more detail on the $8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit, and for all your Simpsonville Real Estate needs.

SIMPSONVILLE SC REAL ESTATE AND HOMES FOR SALE:

Greater Greenville County SC MLS Real Estate – Homes for Sale in the Greenville Area of South Carolina. Here you have access to the following market segments: Greater Greenville Entry Level Homes, Greater Greenville Median Homes, Greater Greenville Upscale Homes, Greater Greenville Luxury Homes, Greater Greenville Million Dollar Homes, and Greater Greenville Lots, Homesites and Land for Sale in Greenville County SC. Surrounding towns and communities include: Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Easley, Fountain Inn, Mauldin, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Piedmont, Landrum and Marietta South Carolina. Also includes Greenville County, Spartanburg County, Anderson County, Pickens County, Laurens County, and Oconee County real estate and homes for sale. Call Victor Amadi at (864)525-0201. EXIT Upstate Realty!

Weblink: - Simpsonville South Carolina Real Estate – Weekly Residential Market Conditions, Homes Sold, Listings and Homes for Sale – November 22nd – November 28h 2009 – Greenville County SC

Tap here to begin writing… I guess that’s appropriate when you’re tap, tap, tapping you way through a sentence on an iPhone. I’ll get back on the computer soon enough, but the game is on and it is easier to go this way than type, run back to the TV and repeat. Modern convenience right there.

•••

There’s been several incarnations of this blog, the first one dating back to 2004 and I’ve been playing off and on with this format ever since. The first one is/was at JoeUser, which actually did quite well when I had the time and the muse to write to it. Unfortunately, the lack of time and muse dropped me off the radar and off the site. More on JoeUser in a bit. We moved over to Blogger, then picked off a few at MySpace and others, and the same thing happened – time was scarce and the muse was few and far between. I’ve started and restarted the Blogger site so many times, I even got bored and uninspired bringing it back up again. It is a chronic writer’s block in a casual sense – I write for a living and one of the things I don’t want to do when I come home or on a day off is sit down and write some more. Well, I should. I know that now. The more you write, the better you get. The better you get, the more quality comes through when you have to step up and put down the main story. And that’s why I’m back on the grid, back to give this another try. But with a twist…

WordPress allowed me the chance to bring what I’ve done on the Blogger site over here and begin anew. Also, the iPhone app will be a big addition as well. I’ll use that to splice in some smaller items, something to expand on when 140 characters on Twitter just doesn’t cut it and I can’t get to the site (like at work). And, I’ve plugged in the JoeUser site – the original. The WordPress blog – http://andnow42.wordpress.com – will be the main conduit, with the JoeUser site – http://andnow-rb.joeuser.com – as the supplimentary outlet. There may be some original stuff on JoeUser, but that’ll depend. Right now, you’ll see the archives of what I’ve written on the Blogger site. You’ll have to go visit the JoeUser blog to see the old stuff. As for what I’ll write about, I’m not going to limit myself anymore. Most of the time, I would hold off on writing about something or another, because it might reflect upon me in a certain way. No more. This is supposed to be fun and good for my writing fingers. I’m going to treat it that way. I’m not going to take myself seriously and you, the reader, shouldn’t take this seriously either. You have enough to worry about.

•••

A Sound season in the MLS for the Northwest: When Real Salt Lake defender Robbie Russell’s penalty kick beat L.A. Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders to end the 2009 MLS Cup in Seattle, it put a dramatic capper on the season that was successful for the new MLS champions, Real Salt Lake, but for the league’s newest club, the Seattle Sounders FC. The Sounders broke attendance records all season and played an attacking style of soccer that galvanized a region that was aching for a winner. The Northwest showed its day-glo colors in support of the Sounders, whose fairy tale season ended in Houston in the MLS Western Conference semifinals. With the Seattle Mariners playing well, but still short on talent to get into the postseason and the current Seattle Seahawks limping toward the finish line, the Sounders FC came along at the right time. Now, for the 2010 season and with the majority of the club roster intact, the Sounders need to find a proven goal-scoring forward to power the offense. Freddie Ljungberg and Steve Zakuani in midfield, Freddie Montero up front in support and a solid defense, led by Lacey goalkeeper Kasey Keller, make Seattle a threat next season. There were too many 1-0 wins and losses this season for the die-hard supporter groups to live with.

Here’s a video of the final PKs in the MLS Cup, along with the beginning of the celebration.

•••

Copy-cat league: The talking heads on TV pound into your head that the NFL is a copy-cat league – If coaches find one thing that works well, they’ll copy it for the next season until the innovation becomes commonplace. In a begrudging way, they’re right. However, one way the league is a copy-cat is in building or rebuilding teams. The NFC West is an example of this. Currently, the Arizona Cardinals are the leaders of the NFC West, with a trip to last year’s Super Bowl in the vault. The Cardinals borrowed some of the successes the Seattle Seahawks used when the Hawks were running over their division rivals – solidify the defense, lock down the best offensive line you can buy, keep your key players in the fold and play to your strengths. Seattle, behind a Hall-of-Fame caliber offensive line, ran Shaun Alexander and the rest of the Hawks to Detroit in 2005. Seattle’s strength was its balanced offense, with a lock-down defense and a true home-field advantage. Arizona, behind Kurt Warner and his Hall-of-Fame caliber wide receivers, played to its strengths and rolled to the NFC title last year. The division is theirs until someone steps up and takes it from them. Someone like the San Francisco 49ers, which is where Seattle got its rebuilding philosophy from. Mike Holmgren knew what he was doing there. The Niners have gone back to their playbook – strength (running game and offensive line), defense (led by Patrick Willis) and players (Gore, Willis, Davis) – to regain some of their lost footing. Coach Mike Singletary changed the atmosphere of the team, which used to be a championship one, and is probably one or two years away from bringing the division title back to the Baghdad By The Bay. Seattle will get to see what San Francisco has done up close on Sunday at Qwest Field. The Seahawks currently are where the Niners used to be under Mike Nolan – injured, aging and rudderless. A few changes and some patience will bring Seattle back around, including a new GM and probably a new coach (sorry Jim Mora). Of course, if those changes aren’t made, it’ll find itself like the team it just defeated, the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have been rudderless and without direction for most of the 2000s, believing that injuries and some bad luck sent them to the bottom of the division and the entire league. The choice is simple for Seattle – copy what San Francisco is doing, which it used to do very, very well in order to overtake the Niners and the Cardinals or stay the course and become a copy of the Rams. This season is lost – time to look at 2010.

•••

Corner kicks: The usual complaints about the length of the MLB baseball season are legitimate, especially when the dead cold of winter strikes the players in the World Series. In 3 1/2 months, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. However, the rest of the major league sports in the U.S. aren’t that much better in length. Measured between the championship-clinching game and the start of the preseason and/or regular season, the MLS will have a four-month break between the MLS Cup and the Opening Match (Philadelphia Union at Seattle Sounders FC). The NHL had just under four months break between Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup triumph and the start of the 2009-10 season. The NBA had an identical span, starting on Oct. 1 just like the NHL and the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Title on June 14, two days later than the end of the Stanley Cup Finals. The NFL has the longest break, more than five months between the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1 and the start of the preseason on Aug. 13, six months if you go to the start of the regular season on Sept. 10. Baseball used to have more than 5 1/2 months between each season, but with commissioner Bud Selig giving FOX Sports the right to schedule the postseason, what used to be the October Classic is now the November Event. … More than two weeks after France’s disgraceful victory over Ireland in the UEFA World Cup playoff match in Paris, the vitriol from Irish fans has died down a bit. Only a bit. The event may give credence to the establishment of some form of instant replay, if the two governing bodies – UEFA and FIFA – see the errors of their ways, but it has also given a nickname for France’s Thierry Henry that he may never live down – “The Hand of Frog”, a tip-of-the-cap to the handball from Argentina’s Diego Maradona that gave Argentina the victory over England in the 1986 World Cup. Ouch. … In more somber news, the ambush on four Lakewood Police Officers made the international wires, first off on BBC News. I got a text from a friend in England who asked me if I was near what happened. I was nowhere near, but it did strike me that he knew about it out there. Maybe it was the circumstances – four officers sitting down for coffee, going over their laptops, when a gunman or gunmen came in firing. All four died, with the Police talking to a “person of interest” as of 9:45 p.m. Sunday. Honestly, if you didn’t know where this took place, you’d think the Middle East or a war-torn country. But Parkland/Tacoma? Fuck. This is the BBC link to the story – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8385421.stm – and the latest from the Tacoma News-Tribune – http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/973573.html -. An editorial – http://blog.thenewstribune.com/opinion/2009/11/29/a-crime-and-a-loss-beyond-expression/… I hate to end on a down note, but I don’t know of another way to end it. So, quietly, I’ll step away. Thanks for reading. See ya next time….

]]> http://victoramadi.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/greater-greenville-south-carolina-real-estate-residential-market-conditions-homes-sold-listings-and-homes-for-sale-november-22nd-november-28th-2009/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:26:04 +0000 victoramadi http://victoramadi.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/greater-greenville-south-carolina-real-estate-residential-market-conditions-homes-sold-listings-and-homes-for-sale-november-22nd-november-28th-2009/

Greater Greenville South Carolina Real Estate Residential Market Conditions, Homes Sold, Listings and Homes for Sale – November 22nd – November 28th 2009

For the week of November 22nd to November 28th 2009, there were 80 homes that closed escrow in the Greater Greenville SC real estate market. High list price for these sold homes (including Condos and Townhouses) was $1,210,000, Low list price was $16,000, Average list price was $154,386, Median list price was $135,450, and total list price volume was $12,350,881.

High sold price for these 80 sold residential homes was $1,075,000, Low sold price was $8,200, Average sold price was $146,425, Median sold price was $131,450, and total sold price volume was $11,714,051. High Days on Market (DOM) was 616 days, Low DOM was 0 days, Average DOM was 82 days, and Median DOM was 57 days.

There were 28 residential homes that went under Pending or Contingency Contract status in the Greater Greenville area during this period. High list price for these homes was $499,900, Low list price was $18,900, Average list price was $158,882, Median list price was $125,300, and total volume was $4,448,700. High DOM for these Pending and Contingency contract homes was 432 days, Low DOM was 6 days, Average DOM was 97 days, and Median DOM was 57 days.

133 homes were newly listed in Greater Greenville during this period. High list price price for these homes for sale was $1,800,000, Low list price was $19,900, Average list price was $207,151, Median list price was $155,000, and total new listings volume was $27,551,208. 

Statistics used in this post was gathered from the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors inc. Multiple Listing System. These statistics may not include sales like new construction or For Sale by Owners that were brokered by member firms. Greater Greenville includes Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Easley, Fountain Inn, Mauldin, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Piedmont, Landrum, Marietta, pelzer, some parts of Spartanburg County, Anderson County, Pickens County, Laurens County, and Oconee County.

Remember: The $8,000 first-time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been extended to April 30th, and has also been expanded to include a $6,500 tax credit for move-up buyers who have occupied their home for at least five years.

Please Contact Victor Amadi at 864-525-0201 for more detail on the $8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit, and for all your Greater Greenville Real Estate needs.

Greenville County SC Real Estate and Homes for Sale

Greenville County SC Entry Level Homes for Sale {under $150k}	Greenville County SC Median Homes for Sale {$150k~$300k}	FREE Quick Over-The-Net Home Evaluation
Greenville County Upscale Homes for Sale {$300k~$600k}	Greenville County SC Luxury Homes for Sale {$600k~$1m}	Greenville County SC Million Dollar Homes for Sale {over $1million}
Greenville County Lots & Land for Sale	Greenville County Condos & Townhouses for Sale	START NEW SEARCH

Greater Greenville County SC MLS Real Estate – Homes for Sale in the Greenville Area of South Carolina. Here you have access to the following market segments: Greater Greenville Entry Level Homes, Greater Greenville Median Homes, Greater Greenville Upscale Homes, Greater Greenville Luxury Homes, Greater Greenville Million Dollar Homes, and Greater Greenville Lots, Homesites and Land for Sale in Greenville County SC. Surrounding towns and communities include: Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Easley, Fountain Inn, Mauldin, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Piedmont, Landrum and Marietta South Carolina. Also includes Greenville County, Spartanburg County, Anderson County, Pickens County, Laurens County, and Oconee County real estate and homes for sale. Call Victor Amadi at (864)525-0201. EXIT Upstate Realty! 

Weblink: - Greater Greenville South Carolina Real Estate Residential Market Conditions, Homes Sold, Listings and Homes for Sale – November 22nd – November 28th 2009