There is a company known as botext. They give you an extension for your listings that a prospective buyer can text to and then get a response with details about the house. Me (the agent) then gets the prospective buyers cell phone number to follow up.

Give it a try... text 1024 to 425-344-3873, it takes about 15 seconds to get a response. I think it is great and has a lot of possibilities. We are all looking for buyers and it works anywhere in the USA.

Enjoy,

Boe Lindgren

Broker - Ashlar Realty

P.S. I am the founder of botext

"...sometimes when you go live with God in heaven you can still talk to people down here.."

"...but you have to yell really loud, I mean, think about it..."

Words of wisdom from a 5 year old

Things are looking up for King County. The average median price is looking better. With interest rates low and inventory up, there has never been a better time to buy a home since the early 1970's. As some in the industy are saying, "it is the opportuinty of this generation".

The weather north of Seattle was strange today. Just 6 days ago it was 73 degrees and the tulips were bloomng. Today the snow fell (and still is). The first shot is the Ashlar Realty office at 5pm, the second is my backyard at 7pm. I guess we'll be getting the sleds back out for tomorrow. My oldest son asked when Santa is coming?

Some here in Seattle can't wait for a little global warming... OK Northwest warming 

Have a great weekend!

Boe Lindgren

Broker / Owner Ashlar Realty

Here is the team. We have a team that cross markets our services. What is the consumers perception and do other agents like working with a team of complimentary services?

We have had great success. From the lending approval (we know it is real) to getting the insurance binder. We can see if there have been any claims on a house before we list it (make sure it is insurable) and have the lenders give us thier opinion of value.

We are also updated with changes in the market, and with daily changes in lending Hometown Lending provides great value.

I think the key it good people. David Haley with Hometown lending and Sean Riley with Farmers insurance are both upstanding and credible people. They are also experts in their field.

How is your in-house lender and do you use them? Also, do you have an in-house insurance agency?

One last note... see the sun does shine in Seattle once in awhile;)

 Boe Lindgren

Ashlar Realty

Lynnwood, Washington

I have always "hung my license" with a small independent broker (until I opened my own shop). I thought the idea of paying between $200 - $300 a month and getting 100% commission was a great deal. Over the years I paid for my own advertising and branded me. I could change companies and my clients didn't care, they are my clients, they work with Boe and they refer their friends to Boe (not some huge real estate company).

As I build Ashlar Realty, I meet with agents that are with the big companies. Those agents don't mind a split and house money. They don't mind paying $25,000 a year plus a percentage of their commission. I am sure there are some advantages to being with a large recognized company. But is it worth it?

If I did 12 sides in a year and the average commission was $9,000 gross, then the 100% shop would get me $108,000 in Gross commissions. Subtract out a processing fee and E&O (say $100 each) and also take out the monthly desk fee of $300 a month, which would net me $102,000 (before taxes). In a traditional $25,000 to the house and 70/30, that would get me $58,100. Does the large company spend $44,000 a year on me that helps my business? Or is it better for me to spend the $3,500 a month on marketing?

I suppose there are a lot of factors to consider. Does the large company spend the marketing money locally or nationally? Do I get leads from the company? What is a lead worth? If you spend $3,500 a month and get a deal out of it, that's not bad.

I am really curious since I have never been associated with a large firm, what do large companies offer? What are the splits like? If you could change one thing at your current brokerage what would it be?

Another thought, are small 100% shops on the rise due to the internet? Meaning that with large real estate broker website statistics falling (peaked in spring 2006, go to www.alexa.com), the consumer is trending toward having a personal relationship with an agent or "google-ing" agents by name to find them. If I was a consumer, I would search the net, blogs, etc... to find an agent, not a company.

I look forward to your response, here is your chance to brag about your company...

Boe Lindgren,

Broker / Owner

Ashlar Realty, Lynnwood Washington

Part of being a great real estate broker is knowing about the hole in the wall places to bring clients that lets them know that you know the neighborhood. A great little place is Barney's Pastrami. It is located at:

Barney's Pastrami
5130 Evergreen Way # 103, Everett, WA 98203

Dave the owner will hook you up with the best sandwich in the northwest. Enjoy!

Dear "expired listing"

          I noticed that the listing on your home recently expired. If you are re-listing with the same broker, please quit reading this and throw it away. I never want this to imply that I am soliciting an active listing. If you are thinking about your options, keep going...

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

Here is the question to ask yourself, "Do you really want to sell your house?" Be honest, because if you do, I will do it. There are some people that want to: see how it goes, list high and let it slide down in price, give the listing to the agent that says the highest sales price. Well, you can keep playing that game. That is what you have been doing the last few months. Or you can decide to sell your house.

Here is some free information (realizing you might never call me or even thank me) that will help you. Lenders right now will lower the loan amounts on homes that are on the market for more than six months. In Pierce County it is every home, because Peirce County is considered a "declining market". In Snohomish and King it is based on market time. So, if a buyer can get 95% financing on the house down the street (comparable) and can only get 90% financing on your house, where are they most likely to buy?

Here is the next tip; prices are declining at about 6% annually on the homes that can come down. This means that the homes that were purchased with 100% financing cannot be reduced in price, but the ones with equity and real sellers can come down. If you are at 100% financing and have no room to come down, don't call me, call your bank. But, if you have some equity we need to price accordingly and that is ahead of the market.

If the comparables show your home to be worth $400k, and the comparable are from four months ago, they are really showing a value of $392,000, and if we put in on the market today with a close in sixty days (contract in 30, closing in 30) that is $4k less (1/2% per month, $2k a month), that is $388,000. Now you are priced at market. In any market with surplus (a lot of homes for sale) no-one wants to pay full price, they shop for about 5% in savings.

This formula works in a hot seller market too. You just have to price your home in the 60 day future price not to the four month old comparables. When agents priced homes to old data they sold quickly and everyone thought they were doing a great job. Actually they were just six months behind the market. Those who sold quickly in years past and figure this out, will probably not call that agent back. But then again, that agent is no longer an agent anyway.

To sell your home quick, we need price, signage, and best in class. Price being 80% of the decision, pricing then should be 5% below 60 day market. The comparable $400,000 home should be priced at $368,500. Now remember, every month on the market it goes down $2,000 and you make another payment and the lenders tighten guidelines for your buyer. Signage, that's just a phone call. Best in class, I (and my stager) will come through and tell you to pick up your stuff. Buyers don't want to see your stuff (even the cool MGD neon in the garage).

Homes are selling... just not yours, because you took bad advice. If you want me to sell your home give me a call. If you want someone to list your home I have a list of agents that like overpriced listings, you see their signs all around your neighborhood. Call them and they will give you a scripted, slick, & pretty listing presentation (oh yea, you already sat through that). I'll just show up with a digital camera, a contract, a financial plan, and a smile (no tie).

Remember the goal is to sell your house.

Respectfully,

Boe Lindgren

Owner / Broker

Ashlar Realty

I met with the Wells Fargo wholesale mortgage rep today and there were a few things that I thought I would (should) share with the real estate community. For those that do not know the Seattle area very well there are three main counties. Pierce County is to the south of Seattle and the big city is Tacoma. King County is where Seattle is located. Then there is Snohomish County to the North and the big city is Everett. Statistics in the Puget Sound region are usually divided up between the three counties.

Pierce county has been classified (for awhile now) as a declining market, so Wells Fargo cuts the ltv of high ltv loans my 5% automatically. So, if your buyer is qualified at 95%, well in Pierce County they are only getting 90% ltv. This is not new news, just FYI.

Now King and Snohomish County are not classified as declining markets, but some neighborhoods are and there is no black and white answer. The rep said if a house has been on the market for more than six months (which the appraiser will note) then you are in a declining market and the ltv will be cut. Or, if the area the house is located has a lot of long listings then the ltv will be cut. It is up to the bank.

What does this mean? You better price the house right the first time, because it gets more difficult to find financing the longer the home is on the market. Are you (or are you working with) the agent that actually tells the seller what the home is worth? Do you walk away from the listing if the sellers want to overprice the home? Does the listing agent carry any judiciary responsibility if he/she prices a home wrong and it gets on the Wells Fargo list and impacts the neighborhood?

I wonder where all this is going....

Boe Lindgren

Broker / Owner Ashlar Realty

Lynnwood, Washington