LEARN WHY HOMES DON'T SELL ________________________________________
REMEMBER THOSE BIG ADS BRAGGING ABOUT THEIR SALES?
Many of those who ran the big braggadocios ads about their real estate sales expertise have evaporated into thin air.
THEY'RE GONE...OUT OF BUSINESS!
You see, in reality their real estate prowess was nothing more than their own aberration. Anybody could sell homes back then, for goodness sakes.
BUT EVEN THEN, THE MAJORITY NEVER SOLD MORE THAN 10 HOMES IN THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS!
Now it's time to go back to using Old Faithfuls when you need a Realtor.
I'VE SOLD THOUSANDS! BEEN AT IT FOR 45 YEARS! SO WHO DO YOU WANT TO REPRESENT YOU?
Hands down, the most HANDS ON Realtor serving Dallas. Our Comparative Market Analyses are both free and reliable. We usually sell our listings in just 45 days!
SO HERE'S HOW YOU CAN LEARN WHY HOMES DON'T SELL!
Call or email for our CD titled "A REALTOR'S SECRET WEAPONS!" It's free, there's no obligation, and I'm holding a copy for you. CALL 214 503-8563 OR EMAIL cherrysells@aol.com and merely leave your name and address with my assistant. No salesman will call you unless you specifically request it.
Since 1964. BILL CHERRY, REALTORS 9936 Windlake Circle, Dallas 75238 214 503-8563 FAX 214 666-9985
Biography selected by the editors of Marquis Publishing Co. for inclusion in the prestigious - WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA, WHO'S WHO IN BUSINESS AND FINANCE, & WHO'S WHO IN THE WORLD and of course, WHO'S WHO IN U.S. REAL ESTATE.
"Local, competent and banker are three words that should not be used in the same sentence. Businesses, governments, and schools work best that are governed closest to home. Restoring local accountability to these entities upon which we depend would solve many of our national problems."
If you'll recall, Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, have pushed as one of the primary factors of staying right with God, the biblical requirement called tithing.
In the main, tithing is founded in the concept that everything we have was the result of a gift from God; therefore, we should give back at lt least 10% of it to the furthering of His work on earth.
Ministers, priests and rabbis take time at least once a year to remind their congregants that they need to be regular contributors, and that, while the church or synagogue will gladly take whatever amount the member chooses to give, in reality they expect you to tithe,
But here's the missing ingredient. For whatever the reason, church officials, in the main, have never pushed the concept that members should first try to do business with each other before they employ the services of those outside of the church's membership.
Supporting those with the same beliefs as yours has enormous merit, starting with that it builds the value of your membership in the church.
Years ago, my church needed to raise a sizable amount fast. Its big pipe organ had been seriously damaged by a Galveston hurricane. So, I took on the task of being the head of the committee that would raise the money as well as find the organ designer and builder.
The hardest part was going to be raising the money. While it had been in the past, the church was no longer one that had many wealthy members.
So I came up with an idea: For every piece of real estate my company sells that involve a member of the church or member of his family, we will contribute 10% over and above my personal contributions, to the church's organ fund.
By example, we got the other business owners and the insurance salesmen, car salesmen, doctors, etc., to agree to follow suit.
We raised the money in record time, and we even had sufficient funds left over to add an exciting rank of pipes known as trumpets en chamade (which I may have misspelled here).
The excitement this campaign brought to the church was electrifying, and the attendence reached dramatic new records.
Nevertheless, as soon as the organ was built and installed, the parish saw no reason to encourage the continuance of special tithe campaigns. Attendence went back to about where it had been and the church facilities resumed their aging and tired look because of lack of money.
Many churches find membership dropping, facilities wearing out, church member fellowship waining. I submit that programs like the one we used to raise funds for our new church organ can go a long way toward reversing those trends.
And it's the perfect place for Realtors to make a difference and be in sync with the Lord.
Some Active Rain friends that you surely know, too, are good about sending referrals to me. And what makes it even more interesting is that they pick me, an independent, over someone within their franchise's referral network.
Of course I'm complimented. But I also know that their choice comes from their experience with others when contrasted to their experience with me.
They know I will always understand and respect that the client is not my client, but theirs. I'm merely a straw party who's taking their place since they are far away.
They know I am competent; that I've been in business for many years; and they know that my reputation as a Realtor is and always has been excellent.
They know I will keep them informed as to the progress, and ask them for their counsel when it will help me represent their client.
And finally, they know that the day the transaction closes, I will instruct the title company to send them their referral fee at the same time the title company disburses my check. None of this stuff of sending it to them when I get around to it,
What is often overlooked is simply understanding who's your client. The referral from you to me never becomes my client. He's your client from beginning to end. I'm filling in for you.
Here's another example: When I open escrow for my clients at a title company, oft times the escrow officer will begin calling the party their client. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm the one that's the title company's client. Without me, it's reasonable to assume there might not have been a sale, much less that escrow would have been opened in that title company's office.
Last week, a well-known title office here in Dallas forgot who brought them to the dance. It was the second time they had done that. So I pulled my new files, and I won't be closing there anymore unless a client specifically requests it.
So what's my message? No matter where you and your services fit in a particular real estate transaction, it's important to know whose client you're serving, and to honor that relationship almost to a fault.
Here's a note I got yesterday from a friend of mine who was in the morgtgage business and decided it was time to retire.
"One of my best friends who is independently wealthy couldn't get a regular rate 2 years ago even though it was free for all because even though he could show more just in cash assets than the house he was buying was worth and he was putting down 20%, he didn't have credit scores due to not enough credit.
"He had one credit card which he paid off every month and had paid cash for his previous 2 homes, had a condo in Mexico that was free and clear, and he was within the ratios.
"No scores means no credit at current rates. He ended up having to get the loan on a niche program at 7.25 and that was with me cutting as much as I could! He wanted the loan to start getting credit in case he needed to get loans for his kids when they go to college. So much for that strategy!
"It the utmost example of the Peter Principal in practice! The Principal is alive and well and living in the mortgage business!"
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHERE IS THE NAR LOBBYIST? WHERE IS THE MORTGAGE BANKING LOBBYIST?
I suppose it's because I've been in business for a long time, that I write for several regional publications, and am active in civic work and my church, I hear from lots of people.
Frankly, the current mortgage loan underwriting standards and how they are being dictated is a total nightmare, and it is causing many, many well-qualified people misery.
For an example, I just had a loan officer call and tell me that the underwriter wants a corporate resolution stating that my client doesn't own stock in a particular corporation. I screamed before I thought, "That isn't the purpose of corporate resolutions! Have I got to teach your company the rudiments of corporations and how they work?
"You need a notarized statement from a corporate officer where he certifies that he has access to the company records (stock registry) and that those records show no common or preferred stock registered in tha person's name. And what good does it do anyway? The person could have owned stock yesterday, sold it this morning, and can buy stock again tomorrow."
Here's an interesting note I just got from another friend:
"Our daughter and son-in-law begin new jobs in Minneapolis In January. They both completed their Ph.D. programs at USC, are veterans, and have great credit with virtually no debt. They just executed a super contract on a great place at a great price that is within their budget. Unfortunately, they are in the loan process, and I am amazed at what they are facing. Bankers (commercial, investment, and mortgage banks) and those who regulate and support them are my Public Enemy #1."
I agree. This industry has become Public Enemy #1.
A rabbi's son sent me this. It's not only clever but a good review of parts of the Old Testament.
FROM: The Jews
SUBJ: Termination of Our Special Status as The Chosen People
=================================================== As you are aware, the contract made between you and Abraham is up for renewal, and this memorandum is to advise you that after, yea, those many millennia of consideration, we've decided not to renew.
We should point out immediately that there is nothing in writing and, contrary to popular beliefs, we have not really benefited too much from this arrangement.
If you go back to the early years of our arrangement, it definitely started off on the wrong footing. Not only was Israel and Judea invaded almost every year, but we went to enormous expense to erect, not one but two Temples and they were both destroyed. Of course, you know all this, but we feel it's a good thing to account for all the reasons we wish to terminate the contract.
After the Hittites, Assyrians, etc., not only were we beaten up almost daily, but then we were sold off as slaves to Egypt (of all countries), and really lost a few hundred years of development.
Now we realize that you went to a great deal of trouble to send Moses to lead us out of Egypt; and those poor Egyptian buggers were smitten with all those plagues. But, reflecting on those years, we are at a loss to understand why it took almost 40 years to make a trip that El Al now does in 45 minutes.
Also, while not appearing to be ungrateful, Moses did lead us to the left instead of to the right at Sinai! To the only place in the Middle East without any oil. And with water that is controlled by Jordan and Syria.
Oy, if only he had stopped to ask directions. OK, so the mineral rights were not a part of the deal, but then the Romans came and we were really up to our necks in dreck.
While it's true the Romans did give us water fit to drink, aqueducts, and baths, it was very disconcerting to walk down one of the vias, look up, and see one of your friends or family nailed to a three-by-four looking for all the world like a sign post.
Even one of our princes, Judah ben Hur, got caught up with Roman stuff and drove like a crazy man around the Coliseum! It's a funny thing, but many people swore that Ben Hur had an uncanny resemblance to Moses -- go figure.
Then, of all things, one of our most up-and-coming carpenters (he did great work, real cheap) declared himself your son (there was nothing said like this about Abe) and before we knew what was what, a whole new religion sprang up.
To add insult to injury, we were dispersed all over the world two or three times while this new goy (oops, guy) really caught on. We were truly sorry to hear that the Romans executed him like so many others, but -- and this will make you laugh -- once again we were blamed.
Couldn't someone else be chosen, maybe just once?
Now here's something we really don't understand. That guy, Jesus Christ, really came into his own. Millions of people revered and worshipped his name and scriptures -- and still killed us by the millions. They claimed we drank the blood of newborn infants, controlled the world banks, operated the world's media, etc. Are we beginning to make our point here?
So let's fast forward a few hundred years to the Crusades. Hoo Boy! Again, we were caught in the middle. They, the Lords and Knights, came from all over Europe to smack the Arabs and open up the holy places, but before we knew what hit us, they were killing us along with everyone else. Every time a King or a Pope was down in the opinion polls, they called for a Crusade or Holy War (today they're called a Jihad), and went on a killing rampage in our land.
So, you tested us a little here and there, but some bright cleric in Spain came up with the Inquisition. We all thought it was a new game show, but once again we and quite a few others were used as firewood for a whole new street lighting arrangement in major Spanish cities. All right, that ended after about a hundred years or so -- in the great scheme of things not a long time.
But every time we settled down in one country or another, they kicked us out. We wandered around a few hundred years or so, but it never changed. Finally we settled in a few countries, but they insisted we all live in ghettos, while the Russians came up with Pogroms. We all thought they made a spelling mistake and misspelled "programs," but we were dead wrong (very dead wrong). Apparently, when there was nothing else to occupy their time, killing Jews was the in thing to do.
Now comes the really tough noogies. We were doing quite well, thank you, in a small European country called Germany, when some housepainter wrote a book, said a few things that caught on and became their leader. Oh boy! What a bad day that was for us -- your Chosen People (by now, you must be getting the drift of this e-mail?). We really didn't know where you were in the earth years 1933 to 1945. We know everyone needs a break now and then; even the Lord God Almighty needs some time off.
But, when we needed you most, you were never around. You are probably aware of this, but if you have forgotten, over six million of your Chosen People, along with millions un-chosen others were murdered in cold blood. They even made lampshades out of our skins! Look, we don't want to dwell on the past, but it gets worse.
Here we are, it's 1948, and millions of us are displaced again, when you really pull a fast one. We finally get our own land back! Yes, after all these years, you arrange for us to go back. Then all the Arab countries immediately declare war on us. We have to tell you that sometimes your sense of humour eludes us.
So, we win all the wars, and we're now in a new century, but nothing's changed. We keep getting blown up, hijacked and kidnapped. We have no peace whatsoever.
Enough is enough. We hope you understand that nothing's forever (except you, of course), and we respectfully would like to pull out of our verbal agreement vis a vis being your Chosen People.. Look, sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. Let's be friends over the next few eons and see what happens.
Meanwhile, how about this idea? We're sure you recall that Abraham had a whole other family from Ishmael (the ones who got the oil).
How about making them your chosen people for a few thousand years?
What seems like only a few years ago, but was probably longer, the State of Texas Real Estate Commission did a very bright thing: It instituted a license requirement for a new category called Home Inspectors.
Prior to that, prospective home buyers would drag about anyone who had ever held a hammer in his hands, to look at their purchase to determine if there were needed repairs. On top of that, clients often thought their agent should provide them personal expert opinions about the home's condition, when we had no formal training to do so.
Bad feelings and law suits were always on the tight rope ready to fall.
But what has evolved is a serious number of Licensed Home Inspectors whose verbosity, especially in areas where they have no expertise at all, cause massive problems to all of the parties.
In Texas, for an example, you can no longer pour or set a foundation that has not been designed by a licensed engineer or licensed architect. And before the house can be framed, the foundation must be inspected and stamped as compliant.
This one change in the law has made a significant difference, for an example, in Dallas, a town that has had an over supply of foundation failures throughout the years. As Tom Tynan, an architect, says, the failures were primarily caused by improperly designed and engineered foundations, not by what they were sitting on.
But now we have a multitude of Licensed Home Inspectors, who are not structural engineers or architects, who are opining that a particular foundation looks to have problems. And everyone knows when you say those two words -- foundation and problems -- adjacent to each other, your deal is probably going to "go south."
The inspector has just made a total train wreck out of what should have been a solid real estate transaction, and he got paid to do it.
So I'm tired of all of this, even to the point that I wrote the commission and the commissioners last year, giving them specific examples of reports that, when reviewed on site by an architect or engineer, were stated to be totally incorrect.
No one with the commission responded to my letter and examples. And I've just had another deal fall apart because the buyer believed his inspector's opinion over that of the structural engineer.
So I have a new rule, and I'm positive I can make it stick. No Licensed Inspector is going to represent my clients -- whether buying or selling -- who isn't on my approved list. If you want to add one to my list, fine...you can after I check his references with agents who have worked with him.
Maybe others, including sellers themselves, will follow suit.
Meanwhile, I'm packing up all of the documents related to my latest misfortune, and sending them with a formal complaint to the Commission. Perhaps one day they'll see a trend here.
Legendary '60s disc jockey, Chuck Dunaway, sent me this. It's worth sharing:
You may be Taliban if:
1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer. 2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes. 3. You have more wives than teeth. 4. You wipe your butt with your bare hand, but consider bacon "unclean." 5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide. 6. You can't think of anyone you haven't declared Jihad against. 7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing. 8. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs. 9. You have nothing against women and think every man should own at least one. 10. You've always had a crush on your neighbor's goat.
and your commission on your first deal was a BILLION DOLLARS. Here's how to comprehend its value:
A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.
While this thought is still fresh in our brain... let's take a look at New Orleans .. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.
Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number... what does it mean?
A. Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.
B. Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or... if you are a family of four... your family gets $2,066,012.
This is a place where the ins and outs of real estate and home ownership are discussed.
All in the light of my 45 Years as a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker.
I've represented several thousand clients. That experience can be yours, too, and it doesn't cost a dime more.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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