The video below outlines why Steve Jobs is such a captivating speaker. The video is about 7 minutes, by Carmine Gallo.

Carmine Gallo points out some great techniques Steve Jobs uses during his presentations. All of these techniques can be used while presenting real estate to potential buyers or brokers.

Many real estate buyers, sellers and brokers have commented on how enthusiastic and excited I am when presenting or showing clients luxury real estate. As a real estate agent, one has to remember, your clients are giving you permission to have fun and be excited about the properties you are showing!

An important thing to remember is: even though you may have shown a particular property 100 times in the past, this is the first time that buyer has seen the property, be excited about it. Go into detail... don't leave anything out. It's your job to make sure your client remembers everything about that beautiful house!

The overall trend of luxury real estate sales in 2009 showed improvement over 2008.

The total number of Montreux homes sold significantly increased year-over-year, yet the pressure on prices was evident.

There was a total of 17 Montreux homes sold in 2009--an increase of 30% compared to the full-year 2008. Additionally, 5 custom Montreux lots were sold. This represents a 40% increase in Montreux custom lots compared to the previous year.

Although overall sales numbers increased in 2009, home prices dropped. The average price per square foot for the Montreux homes sold in 2009 dropped by 30%, in comparison to 2008.

With the correction in prices, many of the buyers in 2009 found Montreux real estate and Montreux custom homes now represented an incredible value.

Of the 22 Montreux properties that were sold in 2009, the sales break down included:

• 1 Chalet
• 1 Cottage
• 2 Creekside Manors
• 4 Custom Homes
• 9 Renaissance Homes
• 5 Custom Homesites

Check my website often to get updates on Montreux real estate and luxury real estate listings.

In addition, I have also opened a Twitter account. I will post relevant Montreux real estate information as well as general real estate news. Click here to follow me on Twitter!

If you have any questions, or would like to visit Montreux, please contact me today!

How do you make your home stand out from the others? Here are ten features that will make your luxury home stand out!

1. Large kitchens – the Number #1 most important room in your house! If your budget is limiting you to only one room to really make impressive, do not hold back in the kitchen! Your design dollars will be well spent on granite countertops with nice "beefy" edges. Back splashes are important as well. Go for granite to match, or mix it up with some stone. Sitting/gathering areas is ideal. Second sinks are also big winners. Brand name appliances (must be stainless or enhanced with cabinetry) is the cherry on top!
2. Energy efficient appliances, high-efficiency insulation and high window efficiency. Among the "green" features touted in homes, these are the ones buyers value most. The use of recycled or synthetic materials is only borderline desirable. Additional insulation or advanced construction that increases R-value is expensive, but becoming more and more popular.
3. Home office/study. People would much rather have this space rather than, say, a formal living room. A room with multi-purposes i.e., desk with comfy couch or theatre chairs is more usable than just a formal room to hold unused furniture.
4. Main-floor master suite. This is a must feature for all types of buyers in varying life stages, and appears to be getting more popular in general. This is a sure fire advantage when considering "resale" down the road.
5. Outdoor Living Room. The popularity of outdoor spaces continues to grow, even in seasonal or colder climates. People want to spend more time outside – cooking & entertaining. This is a lifestyle change and priority for many people today.
6. Great-rooms. This "buzz-word" is a must have for most of today’s house hunters. The kitchen open to the main family/gathering room is essential to demonstrate a modern floorplan necessary for today’s lifestyle.
7. Jetted Tubs and Expansive Showers. Jetted tubs are still desirable for many home buyers, although they may not be overly used. Oversize showers with seating areas and multiple shower heads are also moving up in popularity.
8. Stone and Brick Exteriors. The old standard of "curb-appeal" still holds true. Stucco and vinyl don't make the cut. The more stone and brick, the better! And, well worth the investment.
9. Community Landscaping, with Walking Paths and Playgrounds. The more your community offers the better. People love to see well-cared-for common areas and lush golf courses on their way to their own driveway. A community--like Montreux--that offers walk paths, parks, pools and tennis courts is even better.
10. The more Garages the Better. Regardless of how many cars you may actually own, more garages are better. Three garages is the new standard. An entire bay must be available for storage... toys, boxes, golf carts, ect all need a home, and the space will be well utilized.

Mortgage applications rose a seasonally adjusted 14.3% last week as interest rates on fixed-rate mortgages fell, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday.

Refinancing applications jumped 21.8% in the week ended Jan. 8 compared with the week before, which was shortened for the New Year's holiday. Applications for mortgages to purchase homes rose a seasonally adjusted 0.8% on a week-to-week basis.

The Washington-based MBA's survey covers about half of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications. The pace of filings picked up after having slowed over the holidays.

The MBA's four-week moving average for all mortgages for the period through Jan. 8 was down 6.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Refinancings made up 71.5% of applications last week, up from 68.2% the previous week. Adjustable-rate mortgages accounted for 4% of applications filed, unchanged from the last week of December.

Meanwhile, rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.13%, down from 5.18% the previous week.

Fifteen-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.45%, down from 4.62%, but one-year ARMs averaged 6.83% last week, up from 6.42% the previous week.

To obtain the rates, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage required payment of an average 1.17 points, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage required an average 1.04 points, and the one-year ARM required an average 0.31 point. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged as prepaid interest.

Despite a slow market and a slight decrease in the resale value of most remodeling projects, Realtors report that the smartest home improvement investments may also be some of the least expensive. Results from the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report show that small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable at resale, according to estimates by Realtors who completed a recent survey, by RIS Media.

On a national level, eight out of the top 10 projects in terms of costs recouped were exterior replacement projects that cost less than $14,000. Certain types of door and siding replacements, as well as wood deck additions all returned more than 80% of project costs upon resale. A steel entry door replacement–a new addition to this year’s list–recouped 128.9% of costs, followed by upscale fiber-cement sliding replacements at 83.6%.

“Once again, this year’s Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report highlights the importance of a home’s first impression,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. “With exterior projects returning a high percent of project costs upon resale, Realtors can help give your home curb appeal while adding value to the real estate transaction.”

The 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report compares construction costs with resale values for 33 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels and replacements in 80 markets across the country. Data are grouped in nine U.S. regions, following the divisions established by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the 12th consecutive year that the report, which is produced by Hanley Wood, LLC, was completed in cooperation with Realtor Magazine, as Realtors provided their insight into local markets and buyer home preferences within those markets.

On a national level, the project with the biggest improvement from 2008 was the attic bedroom addition, recouping 83.1% of remodeling costs compared to 73.8% in 2008. These types of additions are considered less expenses additions to overall square footage. The only other interior project that landed in the top 10 was a minor kitchen remodel with 78.3% costs recouped.

Other exterior projects in the top 10 include midrange vinyl and upscale foam-backed vinyl sliding replacements, which returned more than 79% of costs. In addition, several types of window replacements–midrange wood, midrange vinyl, and upscale vinyl–all returned more than 76% of costs upon sale.

Similar to last year’s report, the least profitable remodeling projects in terms of resale value were home office remodels and sunroom additions, returning only 48.1% and 50.7% of project costs.