Just curious as to how you think the elimination of 100% financing will affect your market.

I agree that buyers should have funds of their own or they probably shouldn't be homeowners.

However, we as Realtors have gotten so used to having this financing as a strong tool in our pocket.

Will this have a positive outcome?, a negative outcome for a short period of time?, what are your thoughts?

I am going to scream!!!!

I can't speak for the nation only my little slice of America where I call home and do my business.

To be frank, I am tired of meeting buyers who insist on writing crazy low offers with ridiculous terms.  The reasons they give are not for updates, repairs, or value but instead "because it's a buyers market". 

Yes, there are lots of homes for sale.   Yes, interest rates have dropped again.  That just means a buyer can get more house for the money and with the inventory should be able to find a house that fits their needs.

That does not mean that you knock off 20% of every list price just because "it's a buyers market".  Not all sellers are in desperate situations and must sell no matter what.

I recently had a buyer who wrote a ridiculous offer and their only response was "the seller should be glad to even get an offer".

Last week, a buyer wrote a CONTINGENCY offer for 20,000 off the list price and wouldn't budge.  He also wanted $8500 in fees paid by the seller and for the seller to not show the home while entertaining his contingency.  Under the buyers market philosophy a contingency should mean nothing--who does he think he'll get to buy his house and won't that buyer want to pay a ridiculous amount for the same reason.

Enough already!  If a house is priced right, make a fair offer.  If the home is not priced right then adjust your offer accordingly.  It's that simple.

I am still selling houses over list price and in short amounts of time to however many sensible buyers I come across.

Let's move on.

Maybe this is not a question for Realtors to answer unless you can see through the consumer's eyes.

How can we as Realtors improve on our image and become priceless in the eyes of the public?

OK, I'll start off by answering my own question but please let me hear your thoughts. Here are my top 3 suggestions.

1. Practice with integrity-ALWAYS- Even when the client is deserving of something else, even when we feel justified to act otherwise

2. Don't Sell Yourself Short-slashing commissions is one of the quickest ways to devalue yourself and the Realtor community as a whole. What you are saying is "I am not worth what other agents are worth." "Sell my listing and you'll get paid a lot less". WOW-thanks! Distinguish yourself, sell yourself, assure the client they may not save money by lowering their commission if it makes their home less marketable. (which it does) . Show what the competition is offering. If the other homes for sale in the neighborhood are offering a higher commission don't you want to compete with them? Isn't that the point--to set your home apart from the others so as to attract the best offers in the shortest amount of time?

3. If you are burnt out-it may be time to do something else. If you are just going through the motions, you're not excited, you're telling people what they want to hear, you don't cooperate with other agents---WHY, WHY, WHY are you doing this? This profession requires charisma, patience, tact, and dedication. If you are not a "people person" that's fine. There are lots of other jobs that may suit better. If you don't like to return phone calls this is NOT the best choice for you. Let's work together with constant professionalism so we can exceed the client's expectations. You will never again have to take less than you are worth.

Random Thought: Toyota makes a stripped down Corolla and a top of the line Lexus. They both have the Toyota stamp but we all agree there is quite a difference. We all carry the Realtor "stamp". But wouldn't you expect to pay more for the Lexus? Let's raise the bar!

Do any of you employ professional services in order to achieve those coveted high ranks with search engines? If so, has it paid off? If not, is there a reason why?

Are you the "go to" agent in your own neighborhood? Do you actively market to your neighbors? If so, what method has been most effective?

OK, I know we are all wonderful agents, and have found our own unique way to be successful in this biz but....what area could you improve on to make yourself an even better agent?

Thank you to every agent , lender & all other professionals that take the time to post questions, provide encouragement, give wisdom, make us laugh, make us think, challenge us, prepare us, and together provide one of the strongest national real estate networks so far-- Be proud of what you do.

Oh where do I start...this is a long one so brace yourself. We live in a fairly nice neighborhood. Having said that, I guess everyone's definition of that is different. What I mean is that it's a new development where every neighbor carefully prunes and tidies their landscape, bakes cookies for the "newbies", chat at the bus stop, babysit for each other, painstakingly maintain their property, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. You get the point.

With all of that being said, a "wonderful" new neighbor moved in 2 years ago. Let the fun begin. Of course, being a friendly person and on the communication committe in our neighborhood I do my best to make friends and wave like a crazy person so they will feel acknowledged and welcome. In return I got a few return waves but not much else. OK, fine. Not everyone has to respond with excitement and emotion. Moving on.

Now it's customary that after a new neighbor moves in a landscape company will show up shortly after to start the yard and the landscape. Not so much in this case. OK, fine. Not everyone is on the same schedule. Maybe the grass is not their top priority. Moving on.

It's customary that in the first month or so after moving in people will start to park in the garage. Of course this is giving time for them to unpack and get settled. Not really in this case. OK, fine. They'll get to it eventually right??? Of course all homes have central air. However, our new neighbors decide to leave all the windows open and use window air conditioners instead. (window air conditioners with pillows strategically placed around them so as not to fall out of the window) Ummm..OK, maybe they are extremely frugal and want to be cautious starting out. Worry starts to set in.

Their first week anniversary rolls around. TRASH DAY! Sure, it's very normal to have tons of trash after just moving in. Does that include stacks of tires,piles of bricks and basketball hoops (which apparantly were never intented for the trash man but rather lawn decoration). The bus stop talk is getting heavy at this point.

Fast forward, relief is in site. A local landscaper shows up and installs a yard. HALLELUJAH. See, I told you they would get to it eventually. I should've taken a pix of the grass at that moment because that's the last time it would be short! I thought grass was a step in the right direction but again..not so much. Did you know grass can be "repoed". YEP, it can. Months later, as the landscapers pounded on the front door, they then proceeded to remove the yard. That's right, they skimmed that beautiful green grass right off. I mean, who gets their grass repoed.???

Then my neighbor tells me "Mr. Cleaver" is off to prison. Are you serious? For what? Can you really go to prison for not paying for grass? C'mon.

Well apparantly there is no hard time for stiffing your landscaper but there is for mortgage fraud!!! That's right. They have been doing this for years. Moving from one house to the next, one area to the next, writing bad checks, identity theft, foreclosures, ... I guess I was naive thinking they must just work from home and that's why they never leave to go to work. Always think the best right?

The icing on the cake came one sunny afternoon. Now granted, we were having a heat wave at the time but is this really necessary? As I typed away on my computer, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Some kind of strange, awkward movement on their front porch. OH, you have got to be kidding me...no way...are you serious...Oh my gosh they really are..... being "very friendly" right on the front porch. The Cleaver's would never do that!!

Now, as I sit here tonight, I am watching the most beautiful sight my eyes have ever seen. A giant moving truck! The foreclosure process is finally paying off. I say all of this to ask---How on earth did they get that mortgage in the first place? Are they that good or has the mortgage process failed so miserably. I can laugh now at some of this stuff--but only because the moving truck is in the driveway. I will never look at that front porch quite the same. I think when I welcome the new neighbor's to that house, I'll leave that little tid-bit out!

On my way to find a house today I took a shortcut through a cemetary (I know, I know it may not have been the best choice) but as I found myself winding through the narrow streets a phrase on a tombstone jumped out at me.

"All Gave Some, Some Gave All"

How fitting as we remember the heroes and those that lost their lives on 9/11.

Take a moment to count your blessings and remember those that have fallen to secure our freedom.

God Bless.

Trying to plan a vacation, or 2, or 3...

Where do you go to escape the insanity?

Give me your secret spot...I won't tell a soul.