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REALTOR® of the Year is the highest honor that this Board can bestow upon one of its members. The Award is presented annually to a REALTOR® nominated by their peers, then selected by the REALTOR® of the Year Committee, which is an impartial panel made up of past REALTORS® of the Year. The Committee reviews all nominations, taking into consideration the member’s involvement in civic affairs and participation in local, state and national committees. They also consider the member’s REALTOR® spirit and business accomplishments.
At the annual dinner for the Southeast Alaska Board of REALTORS, this award was presented to Debbie White, Broker/Owner of Prudential Southeast Alaska Real Estate.
Debbie is a long time resident of Juneau and obtained her salesperson license in 1999. She worked for two other real estate offices prior to opening her own brokerage in 2008. Within six months she received the Prudential Real Estate franchise for Southeast Alaska.
Debbie is a Graduate of the REALTORS® Institute (GRI), and Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and will soon obtain her Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation. She has also served on the Board of REALTORS® in several capacities, including as president.
When she is not helping people buy real estate, Debbie is very active within her community. In addition to the Board of REALTORS® she has served on the boards of Southeast Alaska Master Gardeners and Juneau Youth Wrestling. In 2005, Debbie won the Golden North Salmon Derby and repaid the efforts by serving as fundraising chair for 2006. She has spear-headed several fundraising efforts when she saw the need in the community. She was involved in early efforts of the Juneau Teen Suicide Prevention program, and volunteered her time with a gardening instructional project at Johnson Youth Center. She is an active member of Juneau Glacier Valley Rotary and Juneau Chamber of Commerce.
In her spare time, Debbie enjoys gardening, fishing, hiking and other activities. She also loves to cook and wants to write her own cookbook someday. She also enjoys spending time with her family and recently started learning the art of wood turning.
This is one of the best blogs I've read in a long time. These sales companies call me several times a day, and rarely even know what area code I'm in. The calls usually start at about 6AM. I wish I could send some of these people a bill for the time they waste.
Via Greg Nino Houston Texas (RE/MAX West Houston Professionals):
Right now if you scroll through my phone and click on the contact "evil advertisers" you'll find over 80 contacts, all from real estate solicitors. When they call me my phone doesn't ring, it goes straight to voicemail.
Why do I do this?
Is it because I'm simply annoyed by real estate lead generation companies? No, it's much more involved than that. I actually enjoy talking to anyone who can help grow my business. If they are uneducated about their product or sound like a dummy on the phone then I quickly lose interest and want to end the conversation. Here's a list of suggestions I have for any company attempting to sell an agent for business.
1. Avoid this stupid question: "Are you willing to work with anymore buyers?"
2. Avoid this even more stupid statement: "We are looking for just ONE Realtor in Houston and...."
3. When you call us show an ounce of respect and ask ... "is this a good time?"
4. It's obvious you are in a hurry when you call us. We can hear this rush, panic and aggression in your voice. Consider QUALITY conversations versus sprinting through your calls for the day.
5. Don't act like a jerk because we don't like your company, pitch, or slogan.
6. If we tell you we're not interested it means we're not interested. There is no need to say.. "So you aren't interested in making more money?" Do not call us every 2 weeks with the same line..."Hi this is XXX with XXX and I was curious if you were still a Realtor?"
7. Remember that we get called weekly...as in EVERY week, EVERY month, EVERY YEAR. We're tired of answering and listening to the same statements... "Hi, we represent Realtors on Google and..."
8. Never call a Realtor and act like you know them, worse... don't call and try to sound like a buyer when you aren't!
9. Do you know what you are selling? If I ask you.. "how many leads a month will your product yield me," you should be able to give me SOME kind of answer. You saying.... "I have no idea" puts you and your company in a really bad light.
10. Don't insult or criticize an agents approach about getting business. Nor should you tell an agent how to sell a house. How the hell do you know? You sell real estate leads and have never once represented a buyer or seller in your life.
11. Don't lie about how many people in my market are using your product. I'll ask who they are and call them. If you lie, you'll get caught.
12. In the background is chatter of other people just like you saying the exact same thing. Your office sounds like a boiler room. This sounds untrusting. I get calls ALL the time from companies where multiple people are saying..... "I can get you on the first page of Google."
13. Don't insult anything. Many times we test you. I'm writing this post right now on Activerain... a wonderful part of my business. If you tell me AR is a joke, then you have zero chance in separating me from my money.
14. Be prepared for lots of hard questions. You can't suggest your product is the best because it's the most expensive. There is no such thing as an "Exclusive Lead." Leads go to MULTIPLE websites for information. They could be receiving correspondence from a dozen agents.
15. I'm a Realtor with RE/MAX. If you want to sell me real estate leads or some be like me video then don't call and ask how long I've worked with Realty Associates.... and do I have time to work with buyers.
16. The most annoying thing I've ever been asked was... "Are you accepting any buyers right now?"
17. Don't tell me how "good" your leads are if you haven't worked them YOURSELF. You can suggest you hear good things about them, but don't attempt to tell me that they "ROCK."
18. Don't tell me that your cost is nothing in comparison to what I'll make. Have you seen my books? No. You have no idea about my budget.
19. It's important that YOU LISTEN instead of talk 200 miles per hour about how awesome you and your company are.
20. Finally, talk to some Realtors that you've sold to and simply ask them how you can be a better sales person for other Realtors. Realtors know how Realtors like to be treated and spoken to.
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The information contained in this blog is believed to be reliable and while every effort is made to assure that the information is as accurate as possible, the author of this blog, and its comments disclaim any implied warranty or representation about it's accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for any particular purpose. All information is copywritten and the property of Greg Nino.
It’s the middle of October and as the termination dust slips down the side of the mountain, it’s time to think about energy efficiency. Energy costs in Alaska can take a huge bite out of the family budget!
Here are steps you can take immediately to save money this winter:
1. Get your heating system serviced.
a. If you have a hot water baseboard heating system or forced-air heating with a boiler or furnace, annual maintenance will ensure efficiency and reliability. The cost for this service can run $250-$300. Knowing you will burn less fuel AND your heat is less likely to go out during a cold snap – priceless!
b. If you heat with a wood stove, pellet stove or oil stove, you aren’t immune to service! Keeping your system clean and running efficiently could save lots of trouble – and lots of fuel in the future! Get that chimney cleaned. One of the most common causes of home fires in winter is what is called a “stack fire”. This is when the built up creosote and other gunk along the walls of the chimney catch on fire.
c. If you have an electric baseboard system, take off the covers and vacuum out all the lint and remove all the little toys that have collected in there. Getting the dust off the fins inside the registers will increase your efficiency.
2. Don’t let your water heater get a chill.
a. Your water heater needs love too! While the technician is on hand servicing your heating system, see if they will service your water heater too. Those people who are comfortable with Do It Yourself: http://www.instructables.com/id/Water-Heater-Maintenance
b. Consider giving your water heater a blankie! There are kits especially made to wrap your water heater safely or you can devise your own. Just be sure not to cover anything that gets hot from electricity, hot water pipes, or gas/propane.
3. Find and stop those air leaks!
a. If you rent, this is going to be more difficult than if the home is your own, but air leaks are a major cause of heat loss in our homes. Places where air leaks into and out of your home are going to become quite obvious over the next few weeks. Stop them as you find them. Here are some obvious targets:
i. Caulk and weather strip doors and windows that leak air.
ii. Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting or electrical wiring penetrates through walls, floors ceilings and soffits over cabinets.
iii. Look for dirty spots on your ceilings, walls and carpets, which may indicate air leaks at the joint where the wall comes to the ceiling or floor. Caulk these joints.
iv. Install storm windows if you have them, or get plastic from the hardware store. If this is a major source of air leakage, contact me for information on home energy improvement loans and grants!
When selling your home, the quicker the better. But before putting your house on the market there are a few simple things you can do to ensure it makes a positive first impression when potential buyers come looking. These 10 tips won't take you much time or cost much money but they will give your home a more welcoming appeal.
1. Look at your house from the outside in.
How does your house look from the street? Start by putting away all the extra stuff in the yard (lawn equipment, toys, junk, etc). Next, make sure the lawn is mowed, gutters are clean, and in the summer put out a few containers of plants to welcome guests into your home. Pay attention to little things, like if your mailbox is rusty replace it with a new one. A new mailbox isn't very expensive but it can make a huge difference!
2. Walk into your home and look at the entryway.
First impressions are very important. Is your front closet crowded? If so, pack away out of season clothes, or perhaps move some of those shoes to the bedroom closets. If it's summer, pack up those winter boots and coats. Buyers want to see that there is room for their stuff! People in Southeast Alaska often take off their shoes indoors. If you have room for a chair for would-be buyers to sit in while they do it your home will be more convenient to show. To go a step further, consider a bench that can also be used for storage!
3. Shed some light on things.
Still using compact fluorescent bulbs? While that's admirable, this is the time to show how bright and cheery your home can look. Start by bumping up the wattage, and while you are at it clean those light fixtures and wipe the fingerprints off the switch plates too.
4. We all have way too much stuff.
You are getting ready to move, so why not get a head start on packing? If you don't know where to start, go through and pack away everything you could live without for six months. You are getting ready to move anyway, so get started early! You will have more time to carefully label your boxes this way. What if your house is still too crowded? Then think six weeks instead of six months.
5. Rearrange your furniture.
Would moving the couch to another wall make a room look larger? Should your furniture showcase a view rather than the television? If you do not feel comfortable with these decisions, ask your realtor for advice on staging your home. You want to show clear passage from room to room without obstacles. And be sure to pay special attention to stairs and hallways.
6. Time to clean.
Now that you've made some room it is time to get your home clean. Windows and mirrors should sparkle and walls should be smudge-free. Repaint if you must, but use neutral colors when doing so. Next have your carpets professionally cleaned, wash all bedding and clean the trim and baseboards.
7. Kitchens: The "Heart of the Home."
Pay special attention to the kitchen, the "heart of the home." Your counters and sink need to be spotless. Put away small appliances you rarely use, wipe down your cabinets and appliances, and consider packing away items here as well. While your home is being marketed, avoid cooking foods with strong odors that linger. Buyers WILL look in the refrigerator, oven, and inside cabinets, so these things must be ready for inspection.
8. Up close and "personal"
Bathrooms are very personal but even still are open to scrutiny by buyers. Cleanliness is of the utmost importance in this personal space. The hard surfaces will sparkle when clean. Soft items like shower curtains, towels and rugs should be freshly laundered. If the rug is worn, replace it! You can take it to your new place.
9. Don't forget the garage!
Your garage should have good lighting, a freshly swept floor and should be organized. If you are storing boxes in the garage, stack them neatly but don't block passage for inspection.
10. Make a list, check it twice.
Once you have done all these things, you can make a short checklist to prepare for showings! Getting your home to this point will take a great deal of effort, and keeping it ready for showings requires a team effort by everyone living in the home. It will all be worth it in the end, because if you follow these tips your home will sell faster and for more money. Good luck!
December 2010
Right now there are 53 single-family homes on the MLS in Juneau, ranging in price from $149,999 - $1,150,000.
The average asking price is $410,447. The median is $353,500
<250,000 - 4 listings
<300,000 - 11 listings
<350,000 - 9 listings
<400,000 - 14 listings
<450,000 - 2 listings
<500,000 - 5 listings
<600,000 - 0 listings
>600,000 - 6 listings
There are currently 24 listings under contract, meaning they have an accepted offer and are heading to closing. They range in price from $159,999 - 569,000. The average asking price is $335,025 and the median asking price is $322,000.
At this time there is less than a three-month supply of homes on the market - or at least that's how these numbers appear, but with seasonal adjustments, I'd call it four. National statistics indicate that a six-month supply of homes is an indicator of a balanced market.
NOTE: I used a former blog, from the height of the real estate market, as a template. It is interesting to compare the two: http://activerain.com/blogsview/96030/mid-may-real-estate-update
Recently, I competed with Brand X on a listing.
Our office is a member of BOTH the Southeast Alaska MLS AND the Alaska MLS. We are the only brokerage in Juneau to have membership in both MLS groups and one of the few in all of Southeast Alaska. One office in Sitka also has membership in both MLS's.
We advertise extensively in the Capital City Weekly Real Estate Guide, Juneau Empire, and in the small newspapers of the rural towns and remote villages in which we serve. We put all listings on both MLS databases with as many photos as allowed. On our own website, we offer unlimited photos. If features of a property warrant 100 photos, we put 100 photos on there. When buyers, such as this one, feel the need to build their own website, we will add a link to their website on the MLS and on our website. We offer equal co-op commission to any broker selling our listings. This is just some of what we offer.
Well, we lost the listing to Brand X.
Brand X is only a member of one of the MLS groups - the one headquarterd several hundred miles away. Brand X does no print advertising in the regional periodical and very little in the local 8 page paper. Brand X has a mediocre website and usually only puts a few photos online. He puts listings in the MLS offering 1/3 the normal co-op commission and keeps the rest.
Mr. SELLER has asked me about giving him a link on my website to his. Um, No. His website links to Brand X. He also asked about putting his website on the OTHER MLS. Um. No. He doesn't have a contract with us. He's also now questioning the lack of internet coverage he is receiving, noting that our website offers greater exposure to buyers. He finally did as I suggested and "Googled" Southeast Alaska Real Estate.
*thunks head*
*slaps forehead*
I'm not the only Debbie White. One is a gospel singer. Another is an "adult actress" from Hungary. There is even at least one more in the real estate industry.
There's even a few in Alaska. One has crappy credit. Another has a history of causing trouble when she drinks. My maiden name was actually used in identity theft in the 80's before it was popular. But both were common names. I feel for this lady and all she's up against - especially in close proximity to the other Carolyn Capalbo.
If you know of anyone looking to relocate to Northern Virginia, please pass along this information. Let's do all we can to repair her reputation! Please refer friends and family to this Carolyn! Via Lisa Udy Realtor Utah Real Estate Specialist (Logan Utah Real Estate The Platinum Real Estate Group):
Carolyn Capalbo Is A REALTOR In Northern Virginia That Needs Your Help
 Carolyn Capalbo is a real estate agent in Northern Virgina that is being punished for having the wrong name. In 2008 a women with the same name as Carolyn Capalbo broke into the news, and it wasn't pretty. The "other" Carolyn had a daughter that was involved with a New York governor in a promiscuous way. Long story short, it was ugly, and now when you google Carolyn Capalbo, you get the results of the other women.
You can read the full story here.
Here's the deal. Because of this other women, Carolyn's business has suffered, and I thought we could help her get her name back. Clients of her's have Googled her name and found this other women intruding on her brand with scandolous news blogs and have mistaken her for Carolyn Capalbo the REALTOR.
Before you help Carolyn Capalbo You Should Know Her Story
Carolyn is a military spouse, she has family that has served this country, and I think we can serve her family with the help we can provide with this post. Carolyn has a degree in economics and is continuously a top agent in residential sales in Northern, Virginia. Carolyn is a respectable business women that goes above and beyond for her clients.
She continues to be a top producing agent in Northern, Virigina and, by no fault of her own, has had to deal with national news outlets calling her personal phone, business acquaintances, her daughters school and even her brokerage looking for the "juicy" story.
Imagine, while at work with clients, ABC News, CBS News, The Washington Post, and The New York Times calling your workplace to get the scoop on a scandal that you were never apart of. Imagine these reporters asking promiscuous questions from your co-workers and people you do business with everyday. What would it be like for your little girl having to answer questions about some women in the news asked by your own teacher.
This is the nightmare that Carolyn Capalbo is having to deal with and this is where you come in. Let's help Carolyn take her name back from a scandal that has nothing to do with her.
How do we help Carolyn? Simple. Use your knowledge that you've learned from blogging here on Activerain to push her name above the fold in the search engine results pages.
Here's How We Can Help Carolyn Capalbo Take Her Name Back:
- RE-Blog this post and write a short story above the post about how you would feel if your name was tarnished by such a scandal.
- Link to this post with "Carolyn Capalbo" as your anchor text within the blog and any other blog or website you have.
- Push as many links and people to this post as you can. Get this post to the top and in turn we can push Carolyn Capalbo's reputation back to where it should be.
- Write your own blog on how you feel about this situation and link back using "Carolyn Capalbo" as your anchor text.
I want you all to know that there is more to this story. There is a reward for having your post at the top of the search engines by August 2nd. If we can get Carolyn Capalbo's name within the top 2-4 spots for her name in Google, the poster gets a prize. I am shamelessly asking you Activerainers to help Carolyn Capalbo, while also helping my brokerage. Many people have asked for your help before and you have come to the rescue.
I am asking you to help my brokerage get this post to the top of the search engines to get Carolyn's name back where it needs to be and to help my brokerage get a new website. What's in it for you? Two things.
First: Knowing you helped someone clear their name by no fault of their own is a great feeling.
Second: For your links to this post with the anchor text "Carolyn Capalbo" I will return the favor. I have many websites and blogs that I can give you a link with the anchor text of your choice. These links will be on their own page of either my blog or, if you give this post enough love, a link on the home page of my websites with page ranks of 2+. These links will remain until my websites die. :)
So, Activerainers, I ask you to help Carolyn Capalbo get her name back. All you have to do is RE-Blog this post or link to this post with her name as the anchor text.
It I didn't know better, I'd think this nice gal was hanging out at the office a few days ago when a similar discussion took place! I agree with Paddy! Via Paddy Pizappi PineBush & Hudson Valley NY Real Estate (RJ Smith Realty Real Estate Solutions):
We need to teach them how to fish. I usually don't make political statements here, it really isn't the place for it. I have been holding something in for a while and now find I need to get this out. We as a country have spent immense amounts of money bailing and patching, supporting and saving, and filling in for past omissions and wrong doings. Enough already! We need to teach the people how to take care of themselves not take care of them. There is a difference and it needs to be recognized and policy needs to be implemented that will encourage self improvement and personal responsibility.
I see it every day. People who believe they are entitled to free money, free health care, freedom from obligation to live up to promises made when taking out mortgages and other loans, and just about everything else that you can imagine just because they live in this country. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave but you really need to give of yourself in order to reap the benefits. Why should I work to pay for someone else's mistakes? Why does my hard earned cash end up in someone else's pocket who feels no obligation to give anything of themselves to earn their way.
We as a country have created this situation. We have decided that to fix anything we will mandate things but not provide funding for those mandates. We have decided that we will throw money at big corporations to help save them from their own mistakes. We have decided to care for the poor and downtrodden by giving them "free" money and "free" health care yet do not require them to work to improve their lot. We have done this to ourselves and we need to STOP!
 So let's start teaching how to fish, how to save, how to work, and how each of us must honor our commitments and follow through on our promises. Let's live within our means and use our great American innovative minds to figure out how to provide more with less as we rebuild our country. We can't possibly keep handing out fish. We are running out of fisherman to bring them in.
Well now I feel better. How about you???
Holy Smokes - Who knew this? Forget the new TIL. Forget RESPA. Via Ruth Vogt (LMB#100023827) WR Starkey Mortgage:
Before I explain that question, let me ask you this one: "How long have you been in the business?" Ever have someone ask you that? Here's my answer, and it will really make you think!
I was in the business before we had the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). ECOA went into law in 1976, and protects against discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age.
So, you ask???
Well, when I was first in this business, if I were taking a loan application from a married couple that were of child bearing age and they wanted her income to be taken into consideration, I would have to document their birth control procedures!!
Yep! That's right! A letter signed by the two of them certifying they did not intend to have children, why, and then explaining their form of birth control would sometimes suffice, but not always! Imagine having to ask THAT question at the face to face loan application (which a face to face was the only kind of loan application we could accept)! Remember, back then maternity leave was not protected by law. Thus, if the wife were to get pregnant, there would be no guarantee that she would get her job back. So job stability could not be established, disallowing the income from being taken into consideration.
And to think today we're all uptight about a new Good Faith Estimate and HUD!
"We've come a long way, baby!" (Do you know what advertisement that line was used in?)
This post is included in the brand new "Financing Friday" group, which we invite you to join.
Well, almost. But I’m done being the Board President of the Southeast Alaska Board of REALTORS®
Tonight we had our transitional meeting. I will step back as Past-President.
WHEW. What a run. We coordinated some great education, raised money for charity and RPAC, and started planning the state convention which will be held in Juneau in September 2010.
Congratulations to Gwen Place, as 2010 President!
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Debbie White
Juneau,
AK
More about me…
Prudential Southeast Alaska Real Estate
Address: 8465 Old Diary Road #101, Juneau, AK, 99801
Office Phone: (907) 789-5533
Cell Phone: (907) 723-9886
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