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Catch Waht other Realtors say. You want something else you want to hear what others are saying. Here it is.  The Mission of this page is to pay tribute to what other realtors have said. Although I market in Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley. These Realtors come from around the USA. This is a call to action from all that I have invited to the Active Rain Network. Those that have accepted my invitation and....those yet to make the plunge. For those of you that have joined the Active Rain Network: Why are you sitting in a corner? When I invited you to this party, it was not to have you sit, lurking in the corner. Do you really want to be the one that everyone asks...."hey, who brought that one to the party?" This is a place, like any party, for you to interact with others...to network....to make new friends and maybe enrich that, so called, life of yours. You are the same people that call me and ask what you can do to grow your business. You have to start somewhere and I don't have all of the answers. You can find answers to almost any question on Active Rain so, what are you waiting for? You have to take the first step......take the plunge...do something for yourself. Do you want some great ideas? Do you want to grow your professional network? Do you need more business? Do you want to connect with Potential buyers and sellers? Do you want additional web exposure? Do you want to join the party? YES? Then participate! Participation is what this community is all about. Look around and find your place. Comment on a post or 2, ask a question, post a new idea or.....revisit an old one. No one will fault you for it. Well......most of the time they wont. It is all a learning experience. Get out of the corner, get out into the room and mingle with the crowd. I DARE YOU! | When selling your own.
How do you represent yourself in selling your own property. What are the E and O Issues. How do you negotiate when you are facing the client who may buy your property.
Do you have any suggestions?
Val
Exit Desert Ocean Realty
world vision rocks.
Last week on the national news was another story on the dire situation of the current real estate market. A man was interviewed who bought a house for $240,000 and then refinanced it for $320,000. He spent the money and now is worried because he cannot sell the house for what he owes. I find it hard to have much sympathy for him. To take his largest asset and use it as an ATM is crazy. Refinancing your home to pay for everyday living expenses is not the path to financial security.
The real estate mindset in 2005 was that real estate was a cash cow and you had better jump in to take advantage of it. Much of this frenzy was fueled by the press. Real estate was increasing 15% to 20% a year and you needed to become a player. It was a pipe dream to think that those kinds of returns could be sustained for any extended period of time. That would have cause far more financial damage to the country than what the current market correction is causing. Those go-go times were an anomaly, not the signs of a healthy real estate market.
Sub prime loans are getting much press. While you can have sympathy for some home owners, don't have much for the financial institutions. By anyone's definition, these were risky loans. They pursued them because the pool of well qualified applicants had shrunk and the pool of mortgage providers had increased. The only business left to pursue were the risky applicants.
In many instances, common sense was ignored. Applicants were not qualified on being able to make payments when the loan was going to adjust up, only on the initial teaser rate. The idea was to sell for a profit, or refinance at that time, because appreciation was going to provide you with equity. Some mortgage people were just churning fees.
An over looked sliver-lining to this sub prime mess is that many people who would have normally not been able to qualify, did buy homes. The vast majority of sub prime loans are not in default.
Home ownership is a good thing. Home ownership has significant social and economic advantages for individuals and our communities. For communities, studies have shown that higher levels of home ownership stabilizes neighborhoods, reduces crime, increases civic participation, and improves local school performance.
For the overwhelming majority of people, owning a home is the smartest and least risky investment decision they will ever make. Normal times will return to real estate markets. I hope common sense does also.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Today, the movers came and took away the boxes. For the past month, we have been organizing a couple who had so much accumulated from the wealth of "grandmother's stuff" and with so many emotions tied to each piece that they could not give it up. They moved from a house to a condo with muh smaller rooms and storage. Through a slow process but worth it, the sellers were able to leave their old home with the bewt of the best of their "stuff" and drive to their new home, awaiting them. it is the small things that you do for a client that gains you the biggest reward. During the weeks of living in boxes, it was creating a path for a walker to get through. It was talking them meals to eat so they didn't have to decide what to do, while they were still trying to remember the memories of their house where they lived for 19 years. It was calling to "chat" or to find out what they needed. And, the personal visits were those they will remember. Today, the movers came. Today, the family moved. And, today they made my day - they called and said that without my help they would never have made it on time! What a day today was!
This blog is not meant to belittle the issues that are going on in the mortgage industry, because there are genuine problems that must be addressed. Anything that affects the economy is surely going to be a hot-button issue, and that is understandable. However, it is absolutely absurd to talk about the "mortgage crisis" on nearly a daily basis in the media when there is a much bigger problem going on in this country. Please forgive this rant, as it is not usually my style, but I felt the need to get this off of my chest.
Do you remember the days when kids were able to just play with toys and enjoy them? Sure, there has always been a risk of choking on small parts, so some toys had to be kept away from little ones, but I don't recall ever my parents mailing my toys back to the manufacturer because it contained lead paint. We are required by law to do lead paint disclosures on homes built before 1978 because they may or may not contain lead paint. Truth be told, unless a home has plaster walls, the chances of lead paint being an issue are slim because paint doesn't flake off of sheetrock.
Please understand that I am not against this disclosure, but I just find it odd that it is so important to make sure that we disclose this possibility of lead paint to all homeowners before they purchase an older home, while real problems exist in the toy market and seemingly nothing is being done about it. Why isn't the government forcing all toy companies that have their toys made in China to put warning labels on every package? We have warnings on cigarettes when everyone in the free world already knows that they are bad for you. The same is true for the warning labels on alcohol. Is there really anyone that doesn't know that drinking alcohol while pregnant is bad?
It's time that we get back to the old days and start having toys and other items Made In America! As a parent, I would gladly pay more money and buy less toys knowing that the toys were safe, instead of playing Russian Roulette with the lives of our children by outsourcing everything to Chinese manufacturers who clearly have no issue with cutting corners to make a buck. We have become a society of outsourcing, and the government needs to do something to encourage domestic manufacturing again.
How many more reports like this - CPSC Recalls 700,000 Toys From Mattel - must come out before our government and our society do something about this continuing problem? We're just about 3 months from the holiday season, and the magic of Santa Clause will be upon us. Are we going to have to explain to our children that Santa buys all of his toys from China and that's why we have to mail them back to the North Pole?
It's time that the media put their power to good use. Talking about the mortgage crisis on a daily basis isn't going to make it go away any faster. Talking about protecting our children on a daily basis make give the government the kick in the pants that it needs to get this situation under control.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Just south of Phoenix and west of Tempe Arizona one will discover the enclave known as Ahwatukee.
Nestled amid the "South Mountain" region of the Valley of the Sun, Ahwatukee has become a destination for those who like the look and feel of Paradise Valley and the proximity to the Valley of the Sun's hot spots.
Prices in Ahwatukee have steadily risen in recent years. However, with the current housing market in a lull, and the spate of foreclosures Ahwatukee has become more affordable.
Although there are few new home listings (vacant land is all but gone) many of the existing homes have fallen more dramatically than in other areas of the valley.
What used to sale in the low to mid $300K range is now beginning to peek down into the high to mid $200's. Though it's not a great time to sell in Ahwatukee it has become a great time to buy.
If you'd like to get in before this brief window of opportunity closes please go to www.newhomesaz.com .
Chuck Willman - 480.292.0600
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Who cares? You should!
I've always known that the internet would be the best way of marketing a product or service. Never did I imagine that the internet would be the future of any business that wants to have a future!
Why should the internet be so important to Realtors? Did you know 85% of all buyers looking to purchase real estate begin their search on the internet way before they ever contact a Realtor?
How about you, do you have your own web site? If so, that's a great start. But ask yourself this; if a buyer is searching for property in (lets say) Tallahassee, and they use Google as their search engine, would your web site show up on the first page of the results? If it doesn't, then your web site is practically useless!
Think about it! An internet consumer is looking for answers NOW.... the search results on the first page give that consumer at least 10 website choices that appear as the most popular, most widely used for what they are looking for. That consumer does not need to visit all of the results on the following pages to get answers. As a result, your web site will not be visited- it will be unsuccesful!
Next question; what is your domain name? Is it www.(yourname).com? Will someone in another part of the country ever think of typing that in the search bar? If that person already knows your name, wouldn't they be calling you to service their real estate needs anyway? So what's the purpose - why did you spend the time and money on building that website?
Now think about this for a minute......Who built your website? Was it the same company that built most of the existing real estate websites in your area? Does it say the same verbiage as the others? How then are you differencing yourself from the competition? If your site says the same as the others, how will a search engine such as Google pick your web page first?
Most importantly, what does your home page look like? Are you going on and on about yourself and how you're the best Realtor around? Does a consumer really care about that at this point? The answer is NO! They visited your site in hopes of getting answers. Remember, 85% of all buyers start their home search on the internet.... that's why they are visiting your web site! Let your home page provide that service.
Do however sneak in a short and brief paragraph about yourself and how you help your clients achieve their real estate goals. Answer this very important question..... What is your unique selling proposition?
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
In this new age of tighter financing, it is not just borrowers who agonize through the process of obtaining a mortgage. Their real estate agents sweat it out too. Even with "Pre-Approval," financing is not guaranteed.
By the time my buyer is seriously pursuing a mortgage, the buyer and I have created a close relationship. We have been through quite a lot together, and our quest has often been a rollercoaster ride. First, the buyer and I worked together to select appropriate property. Then once property was selected, the buyer and I worked together to negotiate an acceptable offer.
Up until this point I have used my skills to assist, facilitate, and negotiate the best outcome possible for my client, and I feel really good about it all. But then comes financing, and I suddenly must sit idly by and hope for the best. Everything rides on my buyer's ability to obtain financing, and there is precious little I can do to help.
I am not completely hands off. I do what I can. I help my client compare financing options, and I communicate with their loan officer. But in the end it all comes down to my buyer's qualifications and the property appraisal, two things over which I have no control.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Did you know that the strongest personality for selling real estate is not necessarily the strongest on organizational skill? In light of my recent articles about organization and my personal non-strength, I feel compelled to point out that, YES, I AM GOOD at selling real estate.
I'm a person with strong, natural personality traits for influencing others. Its is what I love! I also have strong, natural traits for closing the deal! I'm results-oriented. I thrive on finding a buyer for your home. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt for your next home. And I'm very happy to hire help to deliver great service!
When I joined Keller Williams, one of the greatest things I discovered was: I don't have to be great at everything! What a relief! There's a place for everyone on a great team. We use personality profiles from The Abelson Group at Keller Williams. Their test describes people as "D" - Directors/results-oriented, "I"-Influencers, "S"-Stable/Supporters, and "C"-Critical Analysts.
So, just in case I was casting doubt in your mind about my real estate skills... forget about it!!
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
What???
The other day I was on a listing interview and the seller asked me what I thought about this scenario:
The house is just listed and you get an offer in the first day. Maybe even for the asking price. Does that mean you have priced it too low? He thought it did. At that point he would consider not accepting the offer and then jack up the price more.
I really was not in agreement. I have had a few instances where my client did make a fast offer on a new listing only because we had already looked at EVERYTHING and here was the perfect house my client wanted. In some cases my client had already lost out on a few houses because of analysis paralysis (taking way too long to make a decision). Good houses at the right price do not linger on the market.
Well... I thought I would toss this out to all my Realtor friends here on ActiveRain and see what you think. I will print the answers and give my prospective seller a copy. Tell him your story...
P.S. THis isn't the seller's house I am talking about. It's some lakefront property. HAhA!
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Let's start talking about why to use a REal Estate Agent in the first place: Pretty much for the very same reason you are seeking a certified mechanic to take care of your car or have an expert install your new hardwood floors, or have a certified electrician rewire your home etc. etc. A Professional is there with expertise, experience, education, and know-how to guide you the public through the complicated process of finding the right home, in the right place at the right price, someone who will be able to point out all the good and all the bad about a property, so that once you are ready to make an offer on a property the decision you make will be an educated one.... The negotiations will be done in your very BEST interest by YOUR Buyers Agent, your Realtor of Choice or your Listing Agent and again your Realtor of Choice, who will be unemotional about it and a strong negotiator on your behalf - it is your Realtor who will not only negotiate the very best purchase price but will pay attention and guide you with all the other sometimes equally important contract terms and issues. And once you do have a mutually agreed and signed final sales contract, it is your Realtor if and when you picked the right one, who will not disappear after "the deal is done", for the devoted and experienced Realtor the second part of the important work starts right after the contracts are signed. The Good Realtor will hold all the strings together, stay in touch with ALL PARTIES involved from all attorneys, lenders, inspectors etc. etc., the right Realtor will also attend all inspections, all walk thrus and all other possible events and make sure that all other parties will do what they need to do in a timely manner, in other words YOUR Realtor will make sure that everything happens the way it is supposed to and will also guide YOU the client to let you know what YOU need to do before the closing can happen. More about details in the next posting.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Go figure. I have a few listings sitting on the market a little longer that I expected. I'm pretty good at pricing them and having the sellers understand and agree to price the properties well. Heck, if they don't price correctly I don't take the listing. It isn't in my budget to write marketing checks for something that will never sell. I don't "just try it for a couple weeks" at a higher price, either. It's been a long hot summer in Bonita Springs, Florida and a quiet one, too. The market for real estate in Bonita Springs has languished in part, due to some really bad press and also the fact that we have a seasonal population that just doesn't get a kick out of our summer weather. They're enjoying their northern homes and won't think about us until that first frost. Faced with the dilemma of heavy absorption rates (in certain neighborhoods) and listings that are patiently waiting for new owners I have decided to take a different approach when i speak with some of my sellers. Recalling how I got stung by a seller that thought something was stolen from his home on my watch << >> I decided that maybe it would be worth my while to speak with my sellers about getting released from listing with me. Yeah, you heard me. Listen, if their home isn't selling because it's located in an inventory soaked neighborhood and they're growing impatient I'd like to strike a deal with them before they start getting angry. If they have any doubt in my ability or concern that they're spinning their wheels and the grass is greener over there ~~> then Go - With My Blessing & A Referral To The Second Best Agent in Town. I will gladly give you the name and contact information of a real estate profession with whom I've done business, admire and respect - just to make sure you're happy and feel you are getting what you need. My goal is to not be collateral damage for a crappy market (in certain neighborhoods) and the topic of conversation at the Country Club or around the community pool. It would be like that stinkin' pressure washer story all over again. I didn't do it, for crying out loud! I've only had the conversation a couple of times so far and oddly the choice actually made the seller's more at ease. I guess just knowing that there was an option loosened the noose, so to speak. It's hard to be combative if nobody is restraining you. Who knows, my phone could ring tomorrow with a request to terminate the listing agreement. I'd rather the customers be happy and not bad mouth me around the pool ... when they can bad mouth the second best agent in town, instead. :)
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
What do you do when a seller's or buyer's attorney claims to be a Real Estate Attorney and come to find out he or she is still using a FAR/BAR contract that was used back in the 90's? Just like all professionals there are good ones and there are bad ones. Just because an attorney tells you he or she is an attorney does that mean they are correct in all they say and do. When was the last time he or she took a Real Estate Law course? Laws change, times change and professionals need to keep abreast of all current laws pertaining to their field.
We do use Real Estate Attorneys to do many of our closings in which are customer is choosing the closing agent. I like the Attorney's Title Insurance Fund and I personally would not have any other insurance carrier for my own personal properties and therefor why would I want anything less for my sellers and buyers? We have a good relationship with several Real Estate Closing attorneys that we refer our customers to.
But I have also come across some rather arrogant know it all attorneys who actually do NOT know it all! Take for instance what just happened to Nestor the other night!
Nestor sent out a very nice letter full of information for homes that are on our county's foreclosure list. He stated in the letter that the lis pendens may be an error on the part of the county recording office or a satisfaction of a mortgage pay off may never have been made in behalf of the party. We got 2 listings out of a mailing of 130 letters. We also received some calls from people thanking us for letting them know because they were not in foreclosure. One person had an attorney do his closing and that attorney never filed the satisfaction of mortgage. This person trusted it was done, it was not and somehow it now shows he is in foreclosure but is not. He was able to get this fixed because Nestor had brought his attention to it. Another person has someone file foreclosure on her years ago for failing to pay her HOA fees and it was never removed and marked paid so it still shows on the county records that she is being foreclosed on. She also was able to take care of this issue and get the lis pendens removed.
So the other night we get a call from 'an attorney' who is a neighbor of a person who received one of our letters,(ooh ooh, oooh, are we supposed to be scared now?) who said the neighbor was not in foreclosure and accused us of predatory listing practices! WOW ! Had not heard that one before! Nestor went on to explain that the letter was to help not hurt. This attorney says that his neighbor is not in foreclosure and that we need to check our records.Nestor explains the county record to him and all of a sudden the attorney sees the reporting. It was so funny to me because here this man was being arrogant, threatening and using his legal jargon trying to strike fear into us. And here was Nestor wanting to say BRING IT ON, but instead biting his tongue and saying, " Lets figure out how we can help your client with this problem he is facing." Like - you are an attorney and you do not check your facts before you accuse someone of something? Maybe your client is not telling the truth? Maybe there is an error? Isn't that what it should be about? Why are you accusing us of things when we are here to help or perhaps he was the attorney who did not record some documents correctly?
Well, we have danced with Real Estate attorneys before and we are ready; do you want to dance?
Forty-eight years ago this past Mother's Day, a Baptist minister with degrees from John Brown University and Northwestern Baptist Seminary, left the security of his Houston church and founded a nondenominational church in an abandoned feed store in north Houston. His name was John Osteen, and he named his church Lakewood.
The Baptist church had decided to make life hard for him because he had recently divorced, and because he had become lenient on those who wanted to worship by speaking in tongues, a way of worshiping usually associated with Pentecostals.
At the time he calculated that if worshipers were packed in really tight, the feed store would hold 200. But then having 200 at a service, much less ever outgrowing the building, Osteen knew, could only come if God were to shine His light of favor on the new ministry.
John Osteen prayed and persisted. Cheap bumper stickers, an awful shade of blue with non-artistic lettering, began appearing, mostly on one junk car after another. Soon you saw them all over Houston and Texas.
They said "Lakewood Church. An Oasis of Love." You were probably right to figure the car's gas tank didn't have more than a buck's worth in it, for in the main, the people Lakewood was attracting were poor.
And Lakewood Church wasn't any more financially prosperous than the members. Most area theologians thought that John Osteen's message was probably as close to bankrupt as that of his supporters' bank accounts, so they ignored him.
But with the passage of a mere forty years, denominational Christian churches in Houston and nearby had to accept that Lakewood Church and others that sprang up like it, were exponentially siphoning their congregants, leaving them with scores of empty pews and bare bones operating budgets.
Denominations that stretch back centuries - Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist and the like -were, and still are, finding their expressions of theology and worship are now appealing to fewer and fewer.
It was just a matter of time before John Osteen had built a 7,800-seat sanctuary and soon it was filling-up three times every Sunday, plus there would be a good showing at the Spanish service. That meant more than 25,000 people were worshiping in person at Lakewood every Sunday, and several million throughout the world did because of its television broadcasts. Most of the people came from other churches.
Today more people throughout the world watch Lakewood's television broadcasts than those of any other ministry's.
And they have new bumper stickers with slick visual graphics that say "Discover the Champion in You. Lakewood Church." This time they are on more late-model Lexus and Mercedes and Fords and Hondas than they are on junkers from Honest Frank's Used Cars.
John Osteen died in 1999. His family decided that his son Joel should be his successor. Most nondenominational churches die a quick death when the founder dies. However, in four years, Joel Osteen, who is about forty-five, and his team have increased the membership of Lakewood to more than three times the size that it was when his father died. It is now the largest nondenominational Christian church in the world.
About four years ago when a good part of Houston flooded from persistent rain storms, Lakewood Church gave a million dollars to help the flood victims, and they did it without taking up a special offering.
So what is the draw of Lakewood and its sisterhood of mega-nondenominational churches? At Lakewood, you are considered a member if you adopt it as your church. There's no formal initiation into the club.
Each service starts with an hour of incredible spirit-building music by an orchestra and choir. The entire congregation stands and sings throughout it all. The half-hour sermon comes at the end.
Susan Rice of Tie Dyed Production, a company that handles the sound for rock concerts and the like, says that the music, the technology and the production at Lakewood are equal to or better than any major rock concert. It's very high energy, she says. It's what young people, even their parents, are used to and want.
And then there's Pastor Joel Osteen. He is probably the most talented and accomplished public speaker of all of the television ministers. His sermons and teachings follow cognitive therapy to the letter:
God wants nothing but the best for you. It's there for you if you won't let the Enemy (the devil) get in the way. Here's how you keep the Enemy from getting in the way. Do that and you can defeat him so that you can live the life of the champion that God has in you.
Lakewood Church has now converted the huge Houston Compaq Center into its new church. They budgeted $75 million to do that. When I contacted Joel Osteen's office, his assistant Noel Wright told me that they already had all of the money committed to meet that budget.
The Rt. Rev. Roger Howard Cilley was once a Shakespearean actor in New York, before he found his way to join the Episcopal clergy and later became one of its most prominent bishops. He understood show business. I once asked him why the Episcopal church didn't have a television ministry.
"Bill," he said, "It's not that it wouldn't be a good idea. In fact, we've thought about it. The problem is we can't agree on which of us will be the star."
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
The morning started with moaning and complaining about going back to school. What a joy for me. I can finally get some things done without any interuptions during the day. They come home with "it was not that bad today" My English teacher is pretty cool, so I guess it will not be too bad. The flood of first day of schools forms come home with a note attached: Please complete the papers and return tomorrow. Ok, the same old stuff every year emergency numbers, insurance information, volunteer schedule, etc. So my home work is to fill it all in and get it ready for the next day. So... I do my thing but I also attach my card on the emergency cards (I know someone who did this and sold 2 houses to teachers so I figure why not me too.) The card has all of the pertinent info. I also attach a note about the Free Lowe's Coupon available on my website so the word will go around. Let's see if they do their homework and research the information they are given. On the volunteer form I explained that I am also available for career day and can cover real estate, marketing, direct mail, customer service, database management etc. Career days are a good way to get your name out to
Today I had a client who asked me to refer him to a mortgage broker. Most of my clients purchase cash, so I don't have someone I refer regularly. When I was on the phone with the client, I used my home phone to dial my "mortgage guy" in. Of course, my call went to voice mail. So I sent the mortgage guy my client's info and asked him to call my buyer client ASAP.
During the call with my client, he was searching online for a mortgage calculator. He Googled "mortgage calculator" and happened upon Quicken Loans. He immediately began an instant message chat with someone at Quicken. I rarely get involved in my clients and their "money", so we finished our call and I subsequently e-mailed my mortgage guy, at 11:44 am, not to forget to call my client TODAY.
I returned home to check my e-mail and here is the response from the mortgage guy at 5:30 pm : "I just called him and he said he is working with an online mtg company ( not a good idea ) but he said if he needs me he will call me back."
A Lesson Learned
All I have to say is that I am glad that I was not the "mortgage guy." This scenario represents the speed at which "windows of opportunity" open AND close.
So I ask myself, is five hours too long? On "paper" it is not, BUT in "REALITY" it is. The pace at which things happen is changing so rapidly that I believe windows of opportunity open and close before most people know that they EVEN EXISTED.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
New business models....we are afraid!!! Are we? Don't consumers deserve choices? Some consumers are very knowledgeable about the real estate process and commission structures and different models and yet others have no idea how it works. Believe it or not, some agents don't know how they work - perhaps because they are afraid, too busy, or don't care enough about their business.
New business models are being introduced everyday in the form of choices for the consumer. Some are harnessing technology; some are stripping services; some are gaining efficiencies in the formation of teams; some are providing all the services associated with a transaction. Don't be afraid of the competition - embrace it and understand it. After all - how can you compete with something you don't understand.
Once you understand the competition. Ask yourself:
Do your clients get what they pay for?
Are you worth what you charge?
How are you different?
What services do you provide?
What services will you not provide?
What are you strengths?
How good are you at your job?
Why should they pick you?
If you don't know the answers to these questions - maybe you should take some time and figure them out. If you don't like the answers you get....set some goals and change them.
Competing in today's changing market requires market expertise, knowledge, experience, and a positive attitude. Anyone can get these things...so if you don't have them...go get them!
People shop at discount stores and luxury boutiques - because they get what they want and need there - it is not always about price.
Thanks to Melissa Grant of Crossville, TN had an interesting post this morning on competing with a flat fee brokerage model. Overcoming Flat Rate Commission charges errrrrr.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville
Federal and state regulators are busy at work. They came out again today to try to charm the mortgage industry into working with at-risk homeowners to help them avoid foreclosure. Their main focus is on the subprime borrower who acquired a home loan with a spotty credit record. This time they would like the loan servicer sector, the conduit between the homeowner and the investor who bought mortgage securities on the secondary market, to provide any relief they can think of.
It's rather questionable how much their special guidance is going help because it is all voluntary. They're hopeful, though, that the firms will listen to them and act prudently. If government-sponsored guidelines lack any enforcement power, then they shouldn't bother issuing them at all. To get results, they need a big stick to back up that carrot.
Moreover, the loan servicing business is administered by pooling and servicing agreements, special contracts that spell out all the terms of the mortgage securities. They include how and when a servicer can start doing workouts, in other words loan modifications, with borrowers in distress. If the agreements allow them to negotiate, it would seem to be in their best interest to try to find a way to keep the homeowner in his property. The alternative is to take possession of the house, something they probably prefer to avoid.
So, a lot hinges on these servicing agreements. Those that are very rigid, are the investors willing modify them to suit the situation? And those that allow some flexibility, is that enough to be helpful? The government's aim appears to be to urge the investor community to revisit the agreements in favor of the troubled borrowers.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville ExitHometrader Exit Home Trader My Exit Home
Churning Your Listings? - You Had Better be Making Butter!
After reading The Silliest Realtor Game In Town (A Great Post) by George Tallabas , I felt that we all may need a serious "Heads Up" with regards to the practice of re-listing a property in order to "freshin' it up" or whatever you might wish to call this practice.
The "Churning" of a listing is a breech of the Realtor Code of Ethics.
What is Churning? This is when an agent cancels or withdraws a listing from the MLS in order to re-list it back on the MLS in order to create the appearance that it is a new on the market. In many cases, re-listing will reset the "days on market" for the "churned" listing. This is usually done to gain additional interest in an old or poorly represented listing. In doing this, the listing may reappear on an MLS "hot sheet" and on various e-mail alerts that are sent to clients through "listing alert subscriptions" or, move to the top of a website.
So....Everyone does it. It must be O.k.
The following is commentary from the California Association of Realtors Legal Center which would apply to ALL REALTORS regardless of geographic location:
"While practitioners want to zealously market their seller's listing, the big issue concerning this practice is that it makes a representation that can be misleading and inaccurate. Entering inaccurate data and making misleading representations are both violations set forth in existing MLS Rules . The REALTOR® Code of Ethics also requires REALTORS® to be careful to present a "true picture" in their advertising and representations to the public. Furthermore, misleading representations in the MLS pose potential legal liabilities to those involved in the listing transaction"
MLS rules apply to all Realtors regardless of whether the MLS you belong chooses, or has the resources to enforce the MLS regulations.
"Churning" is misleading and deceptive therefore violates the Realtor Code of Ethics and may lead to potential legal liabilities to those involved in the listing transaction (The Realtor AND the Seller).
MLS "manipultion" of any kind renders the MLS data wothless when presenting to a potential client, when viewing a picture of the health of your market or...for any other use other than wallpapering the spare bath with MLS data sheets. Makes for good bathroom reading but...little else. If the only thing you use the MLS for is to look up listings, you wont be able to understand why this practice is a problem. The MLS is so much more than a place to look up listings to so many people.
Harmless?.....Tell that to your seller and your broker when they both get served! And I am not talking about breakfast. You're toast!
In this market, homeowners facing foreclosure are looking for anyone to place blame on. If their lender leaves the market, and they may have well done, who else is left as a target? Why open yourself, your seller and your broker to this potential liability. It will cost everyone involved a ton more than your potential gain. If you do a great job at presenting the property the 1st time...there would be no need to "freshin' it up". You dont get a second chance to make a great 1st impression and "churning" wont change that.
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Adam, the media likes to make everything into a crisis -- if it is not a crisis, it's not news. Regarding lead based paint, 99 44/100% of sellers check off that they have no knowledge and no reports of lead based paint. Since the last time it was used was pre-1978, most walls have been painted over a dozen times since then anyway. If a buyer actually does a lead based paint inspection and finds lead based paint, it will typically be several layers of paint down, and the seller would rarely do anything to fix the situation. Thus, it just leaves the buyer with the final result of having to disclose the presence of lead based paint when they turn around and sell. I've never had a buyer actually request a LBP inspection.
As far as children's toys go, it can be a definite trade-off between quality and price. Up to now, everyone has been concerned about price, but with the recent bad press and recalls, maybe more parents will care about quality and companies will want to save their reputations by investing in producing quality toys instead of cutting corners with unscrupulous foreign manufacturers. By the way, have you ever seen when David Letterman does his annual spoof around Christmas time of the dangerous toy recalls? It's usually hilarious.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
My goal is to help Long Islanders have as smooth a transition process as possible in relocating to other parts of the country. As a licensed New York REALTOR®, and Long Island relocation specialist, I offer all of the tools that are necessary to get you and your family established in another part of the country. Before your home even goes in the market, it is important that you've researched various relocation destinations to make sure that the area that you've chosen has what you're looking for, as everyone's needs are different. For some, good schools may be most important. For others, it may be proximity to healthcare facilities. The one common theme will most likely be cost of housing and cost of living. To see a cost of living comparison between various areas, you can use this Cost Of Living Calculator, and to evaluate what your likely salary would be in various areas, you can use this Salary Comparison Calculator. Once you have narrowed down your choices of relocation destinations by doing your research, you will want to visit each location to see if it is a good fit for you. As part of my relocation service, I will put you in touch with a local expert that can not only help you with your home search, but also educate you about life in their particular area. Often times, these are people that have relocated to the area themselves, so they know the exact issues that you are dealing with. This team of professionals has been carefully screened to make sure that they are in fact prepared to handle all of your relocation needs. This service is offered to you, at no charge, for locations virtually everywhere in the world! After you've decided on your relocation destination, you will need to place your home on the market. Long Islanders that are moving out of the area will automatically qualify for my special relocation marketing plan which is designed to sell your home as quickly as possible, for the highest amount of money and the least amount of hassle. My goal is to have you start your new life in the best possible way. All I ask in return, is that if you are happy with the service that you receive, that you recommend me to your friends and family that are in need of the same professional services that I provided. Oh yeah...and a postcard from your new location letting me know how happy you are in your new home.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Sun shines on solar startup; 500 jobs on the way NCBR Online reports that, with the promise of at least 500 manufacturing jobs next year, and the potential to change the global energy economy forever, a Colorado State University-bred solar power startup is about to burst into the commercial marketplace. AVA Solar Inc. will build a plant at least 70,000 square feet in size that will turn ordinary sheet glass into solar power generators that likely will undercut the cost of coal, natural gas and any other conventional fuel source for generating electricity. http://www.ncbr.com/enews.asp
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
I saw it coming (The Mortgage Market), just not as hard and volatile as it came. My business remained good even though the industry continued down the path of turmoil. Then, something happened that turned me and my business, for one brief moment, upside freaking down. I bought into the perception of something I could probably never change.
When your psyche gets lost, your reality follows suit. The psychology of how we live, why we live, and what goes down, is not only a mere figment, but a harsh reality of how we will encounter and live through it all. Initially, I personally did a very bad job of handling what I was hearing and seeing. While consoling clients and fellow professionals, I went home at night and wondered what the heck I was going to do.
Every day seemed like the 'Mortgage Gods' were rolling the dice. This firm is out of business, this product line is shut down, layoffs here, bankruptcy there, Somebody Do Something! I saw people who I had worked with for years taking cover, going back to old jobs, disappearing into Capitalistic America. Some needed too, others I thought should stick around cause they were good. They weren't strong enough and passionate enough in the end.....to deal with a yet another Real Estate Evolution in the making.
One of my mistakes, if not my first, was to isolate those who cared about me. I felt like I had to work through the wave and penetrate, punish, & prevail over the common perception. Focus and ignore all disruptive forces, even if they were the supportive people in your life. That's a mistake, that's a sure sign of falling victim. Victims fail. I'm not a victim even though I may die not succeeding. I had entered a Mortgage Media State Of Mind.
Being me is like being you; it has its ups and downs. I hate the fact that I let something I couldn't and can't control.....control me. It did though. I was in a slump because my brain thought I was, my heart was dispassionate about conquering all odds. That will forever be something I will try to learn from, to never fear again without knowing. And even if I know, never fear again. In the end, fear makes little sense.
Companies have gone under, programs and product selection have changed, my own livelihood has been on the line, for what? If tomorrow kills my professional career, why should it ever transform to my personal well-being. While it is a natural progression, the fact remains that I'm only as strong as me. No matter what happens, I can commentate and contribute, but probably can't change whatever is or isn't happening around me. What I can do, what I will do, is try to make sure I affect what is happening the same way I affect me, the best way I possibly can. Ripe & Ready, Fast & Heady, When I run for my life, I don't want life to have moved on...I want to move life & business.
I will sum it up the best I can. Punches are thrown, heartache & pain are bound to follow, you can rise up and meet them head on...or you can cower in fear and isolation. No matter what the odds, I will stand up, even if it means getting knocked down over and over again. You can be darn sure I'll hit back, but I can't hit nearly as hard as this life. So, I'll live it and appreciate the opportunity to do so. All the while, I'll keep on punching!
UPDATE: This was written two weeks ago but I wanted to share it now. The professionals & consumers of Real Estate need to know what has happened and is happening is probably best for everybody.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
This will be my last post for awhile (at least until Linda can sneak my laptop and air-card into the hospital). I am being admitted at 0930 tomorrow and the Dr will operate on me at 10:30 and the operation takes approximately 6 hours. I will be in ICU for a day or two and then a regular hospital room until I am healed enough to go home. My Dr will remove my trach and insert an artificial voice box that will allow me to talk better than I can now. Most importantly, I will be able to eat again.'
I just wanted to take this one last time to thank all of you wonderful people for your kindness and your wonderful thoughts and prayers you have offered me. I think God always gives you what you need to handle your problems and on the 13th of Jun He gave me this web site with all of you caring and compassionate people.
I will not be able to reply to your comments for a while but I will as soon as I can. As we say out here --Mahalo Nui Loa.
Good Luck, Good Lending, and Aloha
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
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Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
So I'm stuck and could definitely use some help!!!
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated....
What is the best way to generate leads and referrals from the internet?
Some people recommend facebook... others Myspace... and others activerain.
However, how do you choose merely from one and only one site to use? Also, what is the best way to get your name out there and generate new leads?
I want to take my online network to the next level!!
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
was reading a blog post by another AR member tonight and it got me thinking... This is always a dangerous thing for me. So I thought I would put together a post and put it out there for the AR community to read and comment on. I used to be someone who waited for the phone to ring after sending out emails or a mailing. The truth of the matter is that very seldom did the phone ring. I thought that the market here was terrible. I then had a more honest look around my office and I saw that there were many agents who were doing great. Both new agents and veterans. I had a difficult decision to make.... would I blame the market? or would I accept responsibility for my action (or lack there of) I changed offices to make a break so my new habits would have a chance to take hold. I joined a very small office and I promised myself I would work my tail off.....now, the phone is starting to ring and my mailings are starting to generate interest. My walks around the neighborhood are interesting and the people that I engage in conversations all want to know what is going on in the market.... I've got a long way to go but I feel that I can make it now. So is the market terrible or am I a lazy real estate agent? I must confess that I am a lazy real estate agent. I am working harder now than I was before but I am not as organized as I should be. I am not as outgoing as I want to be. I am not as profitable as I need to be. The market is not great but homes are being sold in my area. Daily! Many, many posts here on AR are very good. Many of you are very successful and for that I am grateful. I can learn to model my actions after your efforts. I know that there is not one single way to success but I do know that there is one certain way to failure. Not modifying my actions and behaviors. Thanks to all of you here who are my daily inspiration to achieve all that is possible.
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
Propsmart is a next-generation real estate search engine, aggregating over a million property listings from hundreds of online sources and private sellers and making them easily searchable with a Google Map-based visual interface." And well, you guessed it... we are proud to be sharing your new spec home listings with them! Now you can sleep even better at night knowing that your SpecHomes.com account is working hard to bring you real live web traffic to your aging inventory home listings. As a Home Building Network member, all you do is post your spec house ads to our spec home advertising website once, and we'll help you unload your housing inventory by distributing your new spec house info to millions of potential buyers across the web. Home Builder internet marketing will never be the same again, and it couldn't get any easier than with SpecHomes.com!
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
If I am a buyer’s agent for a brokerage company that provides less than what would be considered a full array of services, what concerns might I have if I am practicing in the State of Illinois under its License Law? That is a good question. Your main concerns will deal with the statutory agency duties that you will owe to your buyer clients. To start with it is important to know that all real estate licensees doing business in Illinois are governed by the provisions contained in the Illinois Real Estate License Act of 2000 (the Act). Specifically, the Act sets forth certain statutory duties that real estate agents owe their clients when representing them. Since you are a buyer’s agent, let us concentrate on that side of a transaction when analyzing your question. If you look at Section 15-15 of the Act you will find the statutory duties that a real estate licensee owes his/her clients. This list includes performing the terms of a brokerage agreement between a broker and the client and promoting the best interest of the client by seeking a transaction that fits the client’s needs. This includes obeying directions of the client and acting in a manner that promotes the client’s (buyer’s in this case) best interests over the licensee’s self interest. In addition, if you have entered into an exclusive buyer agency or brokerage agreement with a buyer client, you owe certain minimum services to your buyer client. These minimum services are set forth in Section 15-75 of the Act and basically require the exclusive agent to be involved when negotiations commence in a real estate transaction and throughout the process of those contract negotiations. The Act provides that if your buyer brokerage agreement does not contain these minimum services then you do not have an exclusive agreement. So, as the buyer agent, you will be involved in helping your buyer client find properties that meet certain criteria that the buyer client has likely described for you. When either you or the buyer client locates a property that the buyer might be interested in, generally you would contact the listing office to set up a showing of the property. In some business models that make substantial use of information available on the Internet, the buyer might be instructed to contact the listing agent to set the appointment to physically view the property. The buyer client might be instructed to tell the listing agent the buyer has his own agent who will become involved later on in the process. However, once a property is identified, the buyer agent should seriously consider accompanying his/her buyer client to a showing. Keep in mind your statutory duties include serving your buyer client’s best interests and performing those services indicated in the buyer’s brokerage agreement, including certain minimum services if you have an exclusive agreement. Would you really want your client to view the property with the seller’s agent? The seller’s agent is looking out for his seller client and not your buyer. Is this the type of situation in which you want to place your buyer client? There could also be circumstances where the seller’s agent will not agree to show the property to your buyer client. In that event, the seller might agree to show his property to your buyer client. This might be just fine if you have a buyer client who is very knowledgeable and understands all the subtle nuances of buying real estate and not giving away too much. On the other hand, if you have not fully educated your buyer client about taking care not to give up information that might otherwise be confidential to your buyer or that might hurt the buyer’s bargaining position, there is a very good chance your buyer client could hurt himself if he were to meet with the seller directly. If the seller or the seller’s agent is showing the property to your buyer client, you should not be surprised if your buyer client is subjected to the “hard sell” where any defect or negative feature might be minimized. In addition, you might run into situations where brokers of listing companies have made business policy decisions for their own companies that they will not pay or will pay some reduced rate to a buyer brokerage company where the buyer agent does not do the “legwork” for his own buyer client. Listing offices might believe that putting their sellers’ agents in direct contact with unrepresented buyers might increase their potential liability and risk exposure, or simply that the listing agent might be expending more time out of his/her schedule, which might increase costs to the listing company. Certainly, with technological advances happening at a break-neck pace, the practice of real estate brokerage will change. Change can be great and encourage progress. But all licensees in Illinois are governed by the requirements of the Act, with the utmost concern being whether the agent is serving his client’s best interests. It is important for anyone practicing real estate brokerage in Illinois to obtain competent guidance from their managing brokers and their company attorneys to make sure they comply with the Act. One of the most important questions for any agent to ask himself is “Who is my client, and how do I best serve my client?”
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
So, wouldn't you know it...right before I left for Japan I had 2 jobs in 2 days. The first was for a house that was occupied and needed some better furniture placement and the addition of some accessories that would make the rooms 'pop'! No problem there and I was finished by 7:30 Monday evening. On Tuesday, the day before I was to leave for my trip, I had to stage a vacant that was located in Jamesport, which is almost an hour and a half from my house. This vacant was actually a 'flip' and had already given me some challenges and stress because the furniture company that I normally deal with was going to charge $1500 just for the delivery/setup/pickup fee! I had no choice but to look for an alternate source of furniture, which really wasn't such a bad thing because one should never rely solely upon one rental company, if at all possible. Cort Furniture said that they would deliver for $500 which was still a little steep (normally the fee is around $300 to deliver to Western Suffolk County and all points west of that). Since I was totally unfamiliar with Cort's inventory, it took me close to 3 days to learn about what was available that would be appropriate for this older (early 1900's) house with very small rooms. Thankfully I was not only able to put together a realistic proposal, but was also hired almost immediately after releasing it to the client. Now, for my local stagings, I normally have to make at least 2 trips with my Explorer SUV fully loaded. In this case, however, if I were to do that on the same day, I would be losing about 4 hours of valuable staging time just driving to the job, unloading, driving back to my base in Northport, re-loading, and driving back to Jamesport; never mind that I would be putting additional mileage on the car and using up a lot of gas! So, I made arrangements to take a lot of my inventory out to the house on Sunday, which really made life so much easier! When I got to the house that day, however, I discovered, to my dismay, that the painting was not complete, the kitchen was missing appliances, there was a piano under the Dining Room chandelier, everything was covered with sanding dust, and each room looked like a disaster! I was assured by the head contractor that everything would be completed and clean for my arrival early Tuesday morning...and I believed it! Fast-forward to Tuesday - the day before I was to leave for Japan..... Since I had staged a house on Monday and had not emptied the car that night, I had to take care of that before I could begin loading what I needed to take to Jamesport. This took longer than anticipated and, as a result, I was 15 minutes behind my self-imposed 'schedule'. Then, I don't know what I was thinking, but I took a different route which ,by the time I was aware of my faux pas, took me way off course from where I needed to be. In an effort to get back on track and make up for the time this mistake was costing me, I made a wrong turn and proceeded to get myself a little lost! Thankfully, much like Hansel and Gretl, I got myself back to a main road and continued on my way. When I reached Riverhead, which is about 15-20 minutes from Jamesport (depending on traffic), it was already 9:20 and Cort said that they would be delivering the furniture betweern 9 and 12. I really needed to stop at the bank, so made an 'executive decision' that the furniture would never get there before 10 and took care of my banking business. As I walked out and was approaching my car I noticed a big red truck stopped at the traffic signal on the road in front of me...it was the Cort delivery truck! I jumped into my car and took off at full speed. After a few miles I was able to catch up and was actually right behind it. When we got to the house, the truck missed the driveway and proceeded down the road. Great! This gave me time to park my car off the road and get up to the house before the truck came back and pulled up the driveway. The realtor was inside when I entered, however I had barely said 'hello' when I noticed that the house looked the same....no, wait, WORSE, than it had on Sunday! My head started racing....what the heck was I going to do with the furniture that was about to come into these rooms?! The piano was still in the middle of the Dining Room, the Living Room was full of paint cans, roller trays, sanding dust, a trash can and a ceiling fan still in the box! I flipped! I walked to the kitchen and found the painter there painting the ceiling. I explained what was about to happen and asked that he PLEASE stop what he was doing immediately and help get all of his 'gear' out of the other rooms! AND, I informed him, the piano had to MOVE! He explained that he had injured his hand and couldn't really lift things (like paint cans, etc!) and so the realtor and I scrambled to help him get things as much out of the way as possible. By this time, the delivery guys were at the front door ready to start moving furniture in....I explained the situation to the delivery men and asked that they leave the couch and chair covered in the plastic that they were delivered in. I practically begged them to move the piano from the center of the room to the closest wall (which unfortunately was in front of a window that I needed to 'dress'!), and somehow, to my amazement, we got everything in place...or at least the MIDDLE of the room! I threw the delivery guys a really good tip and they went on their way. The painter came in and informed me that, if I were a good little stager (ok...he didn't really put it that way, but I just did!), he would get the Living Room in some semblance of order so that I could get the room "staged'. I was more than happy to go upstairs and work in a room that was already painted and clean...or so I thought! Yes, it was painted, but there was a shop-vac in the middle of the room and a large pile of dirt and debris! Not a dust pan to be found, but there was a broom and so I moved the dirt out into the hallway (not my problem!) and proceeded to set up the room. In an effort to save the client money, I was using an inflatable bed and 2 decorator round tables with 'skirts'. I brought my Grandinroad Queen Inflatable, which comes stored in a large zippered roll-around bag and I also brought another Queen Inflatable to give the bed even more height. The Grandinroad bed plugs into an electrical outlet and inflates in under 3 minutes. As it inflates, metal legs are released and form a base for the air mattress to rest upon. Once the process is complete, you have a normal looking bed. I also brought along a wrought-iron headboard to give the bed that 'period' look. So, I unzipped the bag in order to get the bed up, and discovered what I can only describe as a pile of 'fluff' on top of the deflated mattress! Now, I have to tell you, that my house and detached garage are located in a heavily wooded area and I keep my inventory in that very clean and dry garage. Up until the Spring, I used to have a large upholstered chaise in there, but decided to part with it as my inventory grew. I suspect that a field mouse got into that chaise, removed some stuffing and then moved into the Grandinroad Bed. Mind you, there was no sign of entry on either piece of 'furniture'! When I saw that fluff, I got freaked out...I didn't want to touch it with my hand, so grabbed one of the legs from the decorator rounds and pushed it off the mattress, a little at a time (all the while standing well away from the 'bed')! I breathed a sigh of relief when I learned that the little 'inhabitant' was nowhere to be found! I proceeded to open the case, clean everything off, sweep the fluff out into the hall with the other rubbish, and plugged in the bed in order to inflate it. I flipped the switch and heard the familiar hum of the motor that inflated the bed.....the only problem is that it wasn't inflating! Now, the thing with this bed is, that as the mattress inflates, the weight of it pushes the legs down into place and those legs hold everything up. I turned off the motor and searched for the problem and it didn't take me long to find a 6" hole in the mattress! My brain went into 'overload' trying to puzzle out how I was going to make this work and compensate for the lack of the air mattress. I took the other air mattress out of the box and laid it on top of the now-defective one. I hooked up the portable inflating machine, and began the process. As the mattress inflated and began to take on some weight, it became obvious that it wasn't heavy enough to push the legs down. I tried to manipulate them manually, but they kept popping back up! The mattress was full and I turned off the machine. I tried throwing myself on top of the bed, but that was having little effect as well because as soon as I got off of it, the legs popped back up! I was just going to have to work around this! Luckily, the comforter and pillows packed some weight and I had a dust ruffle to hide the rest. After about an hour, my efforts were finally rewarded and the bed was complete, albeit a much lower version of what was originally planned! I made a mental note to come back with another queen inflatable upon my return from Japan, and proceeded to finish the room. When I went back to the main level, I learned that the seller had arrived and was frantically cleaning floors and trying to make room for me to work. He apologized profusely and we discussed how we were going to work around the painting which remained. The Dining Room was fully painted and, aside from the piano which was pushed to the side, blocking a window, and needed to be removed, I was 'free' to stage. The Living Room and Kitchen, however, were a disaster! My only recourse was to place the furniture, hang the artwork, accessorize, take photos (both the seller and I), and then de-stage it all and move everything to the center of the room. This was a "first"! I staged and de-staged on the same day! Here are some photos that show it all (oh, and did I mention that there were 3 small dogs running throughout the house as I was staging?!):
Victorville, Apple Valley, Sycamore rocks, Bell Mountain, desert Knolls, Phelan, Lucrence, Areas serviced by Exit Desert Ocean Realty of Victorville.
How many part time Realtors are there in your market? Will there be less or more as the market changes?
I have never been a fan of Part-Time Realtors. Even though, I was one (and I think many of us were); when I was first transitioning into the business. I played "Part-Time Agent" for only 6 months; just enough time to save a very small amount of cash before making the leap.
I think it is understandable that for many folks getting into this business; costs a lot of money and going from a job with a regular paycheck to working soly for cmmission is a scary proposition.
However, there are a great many agents out there that are forever the Part-Time agent. I have met many in the DC market. They are great hard-working people, some with families, but they have no plan to "make the jump". Instead they like to "play Real estate agent".
Would you hire a Doctor whose real job was working as a stockbroker; but he just played Dr on the weekends? (At least he went to medical school).
Every one has to start someplace; but Part-Time agents make our job harder. For me, the part-time agents are always the ones that don't call you back until 7pm (after I have worked all day and want to relax) or they are the agents who are really inexperienced. It can be very frustrating.
Should there be a change? Should Part-Time agents be given a time frame to make it in this business or move on?
Well how could that ever happen?! Some people only need to work 20 hours a week and can sell enough homes to support themselves. Others do it along with another job, like a lawyer.
I think the best way to handle the Part-Time issue is to increase the training and licensing standards. Keep those serious about this profession and weed out the others. If the "Part-Time" job is more work and requires more studies; then maybe the "hobbyists" will find a new hobby.
Before I leave you with this blog - This is not meant to bash all Part-Time agents! This is call to attention that many of the Part-Time Agents (at least in my market), don't treat this as a job, don't treat the profession with respect and don't know what the heck they are doing!
OK - you are free to comment - I am almost afraid of some of the comments I will get!
How many part time Realtors are there in your market? Will there be less or more as the market changes?
I have never been a fan of Part-Time Realtors. Even though, I was one (and I think many of us were); when I was first transitioning into the business. I played "Part-Time Agent" for only 6 months; just enough time to save a very small amount of cash before making the leap.
I think it is understandable that for many folks getting into this business; costs a lot of money and going from a job with a regular paycheck to working soly for cmmission is a scary proposition.
However, there are a great many agents out there that are forever the Part-Time agent. I have met many in the DC market. They are great hard-working people, some with families, but they have no plan to "make the jump". Instead they like to "play Real estate agent".
Would you hire a Doctor whose real job was working as a stockbroker; but he just played Dr on the weekends? (At least he went to medical school).
Every one has to start someplace; but Part-Time agents make our job harder. For me, the part-time agents are always the ones that don't call you back until 7pm (after I have worked all day and want to relax) or they are the agents who are really inexperienced. It can be very frustrating.
Should there be a change? Should Part-Time agents be given a time frame to make it in this business or move on?
Well how could that ever happen?! Some people only need to work 20 hours a week and can sell enough homes to support themselves. Others do it along with another job, like a lawyer.
I think the best way to handle the Part-Time issue is to increase the training and licensing standards. Keep those serious about this profession and weed out the others. If the "Part-Time" job is more work and requires more studies; then maybe the "hobbyists" will find a new hobby.
Before I leave you with this blog - This is not meant to bash all Part-Time agents! This is call to attention that many of the Part-Time Agents (at least in my market), don't treat this as a job, don't treat the profession with respect and don't know what the heck they are doing!
OK - you are free to comment - I am almost afraid of some of the comments I will get!
Congradulations to Top Agents for August at Exit Desert Ocean Realty Some one once said that the three top needs of every human being are the following: Money Recognition Security Well the following individuals are part of the largest Exit Office in Southern California. We are Exit Desert Ocean Realty. We would like to honor the following individuals for their efforts and achievements in the Month of August. 1. Roza Khachikyan She is our Top Female Agent 2. Tom Chong Mr Chong is our Top Male Agent. 3. Deanna McDonald She is harding working and knows how to stay focused 4. Tyree Lauritzen For the Year Tyree is our second top agent in our office of over 120 agents 5. Ron Moser You can't find a nicer guy than Ron and He is very Knowledgeable. 6. Greg Henderson He is a Team Player and Partner with Peggy Beattie 7. Peggy Beattie She is a Team Player and Partner with Greg Henderson 8. Summer Hileman She is our Top Agent who resides in Barstow Our Hats off to each of you for getting the Job done, Being Number One and still having fun. We can highly recommend any of these agents for all your real estate needs- residential, commercial, vacant land. Check out the Sunday addition of the Daily Press to See their Pictures. Thanks For Reading Val Rensink Exit Desert Ocean Realty, Victorville. |
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