Kevin's Blog

Reminding Clients Holiday Spending Could Jeprodize Escrow!!!!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:21:59 -0600

Hi There Everyone,

Happy Holidays to all whom celebrate!!!

I realize that most if not all agents warn their clients to not make large purchases after getting pre-approved to find their dream home, Now it is that time of year to maybe add in the fact that if they are entering an escrow and have used most of their savings for their down payment that they really need to watch their credit card spending over the holiday season and throughout their escrow. They need to know that overextending themselves during the holidays could in fact jeopardize their chances of getting the loan that they were pre-approved for before signing docs in turn starting the process all over again possibly lowering their ability to purchase the home that they want. As easy as we all try to make the process of finding a home for all of our clients I know of nobody that wants to do it twice in a month also finding that they do not have the buying power that they had the first time around.

Just a friendly reminder for all out there to enjoy mostly directed to the newer agents and any potential home buyers that may be perusing Active Rain!

Have a super Day and a Prosperous year to come!

Respectfully,

Kevin Scott Usher

Coldwell Banker C&C Properties

2121 Churn Creek Rd.

Redding, CA 96003

Cell: 530-638-9766

Home: 530-357-2522

Office: 221-9699 Ext. 271

Volunteering what and where?

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:45:42 -0600

howdy folks,

I am in the type of mood that I would like to start volunteering, but for what? I don't know. I was thinking about the local library because I use it so much, but what good for others would come of that? Now I'm thinking about one of the local hospitals maybe reading to cancer children. I'm a smoker so maybe I could be giving back for all the negative influence that I put out there when I am smoking. I love to help people that is why I choose this career, but I want to do more. Since I don't have a whole bunch of cash to just give away I need to volunteer time.

Does anyone out there know of any good volunteer programs in their neighborhood that might have opportunities in my home town here in Shasta county California. Since I don't really have a clue all Ideas are welcome . If so please tell me where to start I am feeling like my spare time is a waste and I've got the energy to spare.

Thank you in advance.

Kevin Scott Usher " Opening Doors in Shasta County "

Another great way to market your open houses!!!!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:04:09 -0600

Howdy there All,

This past weekend was totally awesome. I work in an office that boast the most agents in any office in Shasta county. @ first I thought this would be a cut throat situation, I was wrong in fact it turns out that almost all of the agents in this brokerage tend to work for one common goal. Making sure that everyone with any real estate goals is taken care of properly we all pretty much work together for the client. now to the story. One of the more seasoned reps in the office had an epiphany from listening to all the other agents that hold open houses at the Tuesday meeting we all began to see a pattern. any time there was a garage sale near an open house. that open house was slammed all day and regardless of whether the home sold or not the agent was adding to their data base making friends and a reputation for themselves. Now we all know that most of our listings can definitely afford to get rid of some of the stuff sitting around the house cluttering up the showing. and being that they will be moving as soon as we get the home sold why not have a garage/ sale open house you're bound to get at least some lookie loos. and will more than likely not be bored the whole time you are there. Well being the largest firm in our area holding 1/3 of the market share with only 1/10 of the Realtors in town we thought we would take it to the next level. Two folks took charge and coordinated advertising, purchased balloons, printed entry forms, and lists of all the homes of any agent that wanted to participate. for a 1 time fee of 10 dollars your home would be advertised and anyone that signed in would be put into a raffle for gas cards, candles and such ( sweet ) the day before the event was about to take place we had a total of 44 participating homes, now not all of them had garage sales, but they were equally advertised and viewed, But wow think of the advertising that our firm got all those pretty blue signs out all at once. I think it says . Now who do you think is going to get the job done when it comes to getting your house sold. and what better place to start looking than the most active hard working Realtors in the area. It's a winning situation on more than one level. I hope that some of you can use this to make your open houses more profitable. I believe that as Realtors we can all work together honoring each others clients to make sure that they are finding exactly what suits them. ( I know by being with a large firm this is much easier for us) , but if you are with a smaller firm try to talk to your broker about teaming up with fellow Realtors from other smaller firms to get the message across. What ever it is that you have to do just do it. Oh by the way today I have three buyer pre-quals and one listing appt. got to go

Have a super day and stay productive.

Kevin Scott Usher

Happy to meet you!!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:08:31 -0500

Today while I was in the library I saw an older gentleman having trouble with reserving a computer. I looked at him gave him a big ol' smile and asked did it not work? he easily said I have no idea what I am doing would you help. How many different ways could I have responded? I took the two seconds that it took to help this gentleman with a simple problem. What did I get in return? I got a thank you and a smile back and I tell you most of the time that is enough in return. Then I sat down at the computer I was doing some research on and next to me was another person. being the nosey person that I am I had to ask her what she was working on. I got a weird response and apologized for bothering her. Within 30 seconds she started explaining what she was doing and told me that she just moved back from Montana and she had family in the area here. Guess what I now have a buyer that will easily qualify and we will be showing houses this Monday. I think that was the return for taking a few moments to help someone else out. If it all works out I think that is worth it.

Have a wonderful day. stay friendly. stay productive & think of how many different ways you can help someone other than yourself today. You never know what the pay-off will be!!!!

Kevin Scott Usher

Good values on great homes in shasta county!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:09:52 -0500

I know it is a bit premature and maybe a little cold, but who in southern cali. has clients that are now without a house. Shasta county offers some of the best countryside in California. I will pay referral fees of 25% for anyone who has clients that would like to move up here. Check my page I am not as cold as this sounds. I just want to help these folks get back into a home that might be affordable enough with an insurance payout.

Respectfully,

Kevin Scott Usher " Opening the doors in Shasta county "

Hi Y'all

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:01:54 -0500

Who Have you really helped today?? In any way at all! whether it be work related or not. by even Just a smile?

When is a referral not a referral?

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:41:59 -0500

Help!!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I'm having a bit of an issue with a Realtor from Oregon. Story starts about 6 weeks ago. I met this couple at an open house. They told me they sold their home down south about two months ago and were living in an apartment. We spoke for about 1/2 an hour while showing a 1200 sq. ft home. As Realtors do, I asked them if they were working with anyone ( NO) and offered my assistance. The wife left both of their names and their address no phone number. Upon leaving they grabbed one of my cards I asked if they left their number and they said no they had mine and they would contact me. This was Saturday. Monday when I got to the office I drew up some listings based on the descriptions that they gave me of what they wanted. I then went over to their apartment and hand delivered them directly to the wife. The husband was running an errand. I told the misses that with no hurry that they could run through the listings and if they saw anything that sparked their interest to give me a call I would be more than happy to show them the property. I went home that evening and logged in my database to touch base with them in three weeks whether they call me or not just to see if they found anything yet. So happens the Realtor in question called me 2 days before I was scheduled to stop by again. This person said do you remember the ( name of clients ) I responded well yeah I have their addy and stopped by with some listings. She now says well I would like to refer you to them for a 25% fee. I said give me your info she denied she wanted mine. I gave her mine and waited for her e-mail that never came. Now I contacted the clients and proceeded to set an appt. to start showing homes. Within 7 days we were then out then into an accepted offer. Each day I tried to touch base with this person to get their info, and called each time we signed a paper. Now that she knows that we are in escrow she has been bugging me several times a day to make sure she is getting her referral fee. Personally to me this does not sound anything like a referral. I really thought a referral was when a Realtor from where ever locates another Realtor to service the client that they have picked up that is moving from one area to another or the agent has too much on their plate then they introduce the ( agent /other Realtors clients) Not just call someone they already have had encounters with because the feel entitled to a portion of a relative through marriages' fees for another to do all the work in securing a home for That to me sounds like being a leach and not a referral.

What do you think, I am fairly new in this bus. and could use the advice. And my thoughts might be filled with bitterness causing my judgement to be askew.

Thanks for the advice,

Kevin Scott Usher

Lender confidence or confidence in lenders!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:32:20 -0500

Hi All,

Yesterday was quite the day, Final signing on clients that picked their own lender that most folks in town never heard of. This all started about 30 days ago ( go figure ) My Clients had gotten pre-approved by the lender of their choice before I ever met them. When we signed the purchase agreement the listing agent gave me a wrath of interrogation about who this lender was and how long have and will they be in business. Being a newer agent I was kind of put off by all the hoops I had to jump through just to get him to show the offer to his client. Well now, I totally understand what all the hoopla was about and I thank the more seasoned agent for putting me through it. If he would not have drilled and drilled for me to provide more and more info to him in order to quell his worry I might not have seen the red flags that this lender was waving, but because of his worries I was able to be in their face just about every other day in order to get this thing closed. The number one red flag was the fact that these folks not once throughout the transaction returned a phone call. The next thing was is that they were hardly ever at the office and when they were the lazy attitude toward getting things done was ridiculous. The blessing through out the entire episode was even though I am newer in Real estate I had already picked out a strong team of competent lenders that helped advise me in what the Lackeys should be accomplishing and when they should be getting those things done. Yet still on the 0 hour after working as hard as I did to move them into high gear I got the call. Hey there Kevin we're going to be 2069.00 short they need to write a check. This is a single mom with boyfriend that was told by the lender the whole way through that they were getting a 100% loan with no monies to close. Well that was fun, I got the lender to credit most of the overage and my buyers only had to write a check for 774.00. well I really did not write the whole story. I just got a phone call to list 10 acres got to get to work. Hope you all are having a great day.

Respectfully,

Kevin Scott Usher

Double escrow on one open house!!!!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:36:37 -0500

Hi All,

I'm just so excited I could just burst. About a month ago I did an open house for a very seasoned rep. in my office. The home was priced right and was in a super neighborhood. So as you can probably already tell I had a pretty busy day. With all the traffic I was able to get only three names and phone numbers, being that at certain times three groups were bombarding me at the same time. The really cool thing was that I picked up client one almost immediately and started showing her homes on that Tuesday. The other two couples only gave me addresses and no phone numbers and although I spoke with and offered my services to both. I was given the ol' we'll call you when we are ready. Now I'm a little bullheaded and knew that I could help the others also so I drew up some listings in the price range they were looking at and hand delivered them to their doorsteps. Letting them know that there was no rush and that I would bug them no further, but if they saw something that they wanted to look at I would be more than happy to show it to them. ( Key here I did what I said I would do )by that I mean not bug them. Lone behold three weeks later ( one week before I'm set to close escrow 1 ) I get a call from the first couple that I took the listings over to that did not leave their phone number. Now two days before escrow 1 of the best open house ever is set to close I'm in a 17 day escrow with the worlds best clients. Not only am I having a hard time believing it allot of my associates are also.

What I may have forgot to mention is that I actually only became a Realtor June of this year, and I have already closed a 17 day escrow, have another 30 day escrow closing tomorrow, And just started on my second 17 day escrow. All of these folks are from open houses. I love real estate. The referrals are flying and I'm picking up listings. So if there is anyone out there complaining that there is no action out there to be had, they are just not going out there!!!!!!

Thanks for reading and have a fulfilling, productive day!!!!! Respectfully,

Kevin Scott Usher

Helping All Clients Equally!!!!!!

Kevin Usher (Coldwell Banker C&C Properties) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 13:11:46 -0500

Yippee for the Fed. Have you in the last few days had any of your clients whether they are buying or selling mention or ask you how far the interest rates are going to drop and how soon with the most recent Federal rate cut? Thank you Fed. If you have. have you noticed that all of these folks are now wanting to stall any decision in buying or selling. Personally I find this to be rather hazardous to several folks that are coming up on the increase for their A.R.M. loans. Almost all of my sellers that were moving forward in the re-finance dept. so we will have enough time to sell their home before they lose it are now sitting idle. Am I correct in thinking that most of this rate cut is not directed at the housing market at all. That it is more so directed to credit-card lenders to boost the consumer confidence so all of the retail stores can have a great holiday season. Look I know that we are seeing minimal help in the rate dept. from any sources, although I have seen a drop in the last three- four weeks I do not believe that allowing your clients to sit idle waiting for a few hundred dollar break when they are in jeopardy of losing their home. That's my thoughts!!!! Does anyone out there have any advice on where I can do the research to help give my clients the right perspective when speculating federal rate cuts while at the same time approaching certain credit Doom??? A lot of these folks are getting their news from the Internet. Can you direct me to a good site that I can show them the truth And not just what they want to hear.

I believe as Realtors It is our job to inform all of our clients that the rate cut is not some miracle from above. That if they have urgency they should continue to move forward and not risk what they do have for speculation!!!

I will say this though the open house traffic has picked up since talk of a rate cut!!! GOTTA GIVE THE FED SOME CUDOS>

Any thoughts or advice are always welcome!!!

Kevin Scott Usher