This blog is more of rant towards the practices of other Realtors in the Huntington and Charleston,WV Real Estate markets than it is for educational purpose. With that said, I'm going to rattle off a few practices that certain Realtors do that just get under my skin.(well, it used to get under my skin but the longer I have been in the business the more I get amused and just sit back and wait for karma to catch up. Then the book comes out with who got fined in WV for ethics violations and there are never any surprises)To keep from "Rambling On" like a Led Zepplin jam, I'll just make a list of the top 3 acts of knuckleheadedness that I see from time-to-time(feel free to use that word at your discretion).
1) Putting your cards or magnets at your listings.~ Are you serious? Perhaps I am missing the logic in this but the only reason I can see for an agent to do this is in hopes that another agent's client picks it up so they call you. Now what does that say about ones integrity? What's amusing is that I develop a strong relationship with my clients, aka friends, and they've been the one who pointed the cards out and noted it wasn't a good practice. One even tried to grab them all and throw them away but I convinced them not to for the agents actions speak for themselves. Another funny one is when agents show your listings and leave a magnet..Some will leave their cards to show who has been there but that's fine. Bottom line. How many agents would this offend and could this be a deterent from showing your listings? Remember your duty is to your cleint
2) Agents website address or phone numbers where they shouldn't on the MLS form~ Another deceptive tactic that is a disservice to the client. You are supposed to be selling that person's house not yourself. I wonder how many potential buyers the sellers may miss because an agent won't send the listing when another agent puts their contact info where it should not be. I just point it out to my clients and let them make their own judgement. Bottom line. How many agents would this offend and could this be a deterent from showing your listings? Remember your duty is to your cleint
3) WE WILL SALE YOUR HOUSE FOR $19.99***** or MY DAYS ON MARKET IS 45 DAYS***** ~ Anytime I see an asterisk, I get nervous. I think anytime you are not honest with people up front and need small print and asterisks to sell something, then that's a form of deception. Let's be real people**********
As I have mentioned before, the vast majority of Realtors are great people and practice ethically as expected. However, there are always a few bad apples in any profession that tend to give a stink more so than others so this blog is dedicated to the few to entertain the many!
***As Thomas Jefferson says, " Honesty, is the first chapter in the book of wisdom" and as Mr.T says, "I pity the fool!"
Selling your home in the Charleston, WV. real estate market or Huntington,WV. real estate market during the fall and winter months is a great idea! Conventional thinking from the average seller may think otherwise but let us analyze why listing now, rather then later, could ensure a quick and painless sale. For one, every Tom, Dick and Sharon wants to wait until spring to put their house on the market which means your competition is going to be flooded. Sure, the logic is that buyers are coming out of their winter slumber and ready for a change but keep in mind that in our area there is a constant stream of buyers so there is always a need for a place to live. With that in mind, should you decide to list in the fall or winter then your home is going to be very fresh. The average listing period is 6 months so by the time fall or winter comes around, buyers have seen a lot of the homes that have been on the market for awhile and are ready to pounce on something new. This could lead to a very quick sale and most likely more money. How is that you ask? The longer your house sits on the market (with all the competition you would have if you listed in the spring) the lower the offers you are going to get on your property. So, if your ready to sell but thinking of waiting until spring, you might want to think again!
As a Realtor who show's and sells houses from the city of Kenova, WV all the way to Ansted, WV it is imperative that I know where I am going at all times when setting up appointments. If I do not, I will sure act as if I do! Once I have been somewhere once, I will always remember how to get back there (98.9 percent of the time that is). However, there have been a few times where I have not the foggiest idea as to where I was going. Enter Mapquest.com. Granted, this site can be very useful but as we all have probably experienced, it is sometimes not accurate. After several outings of driving around like a chicken with my head cut off, I figured the most logical thing for me to do was to give up the old Mapquest.com and upgrade to the Garmin GPS.
The first few times I used my new magnificent contraptions I had no problems and knew exactly where I was. The lady in that little device told me where to turn and I kindly obliged. However, I started to notice that the further outside of town I went, the more I was being told to turn where there was not a place to turn. "Turn left in 500ft" the little lady in the device said. Looking left, I noticed there was no road at all but just a mere cow trail that led into the woods. I knew my clients might be looking for privacy but a cow path as a driveway and a house in some thickets most likely was not their "home sweet home"
I figured there would be a few glitches in the matrix so I overlooked this one. However, last week was the icing on the cake. I was showing a friend of mine a house with some acreage in Liberty, WV. I was doing business in Huntington that day so I plotted my route from there through Winfield, WV. I thought my route was good to go and I would be smooth sailing (or driving). All was good until the little lady in the contraption said, " turn right in 500 ft." Noticing the road was really narrow and most likely a wrong turn, the knot in my head decided that I should follow my blissful path over the hills and past grandma's house anyways. After crossing five creeks and being on a gravel road for several miles, I passed a nice fellow in a Jeep who flagged me down to ask if the road I was on led to a main road. I told him "This little lady in my Garmin says it does, so good luck brother." I then gave up on the contraption, started using the sky as my guide, and knew if I headed west I would eventually end up on a main road. After passing through a few sounds of dueling banjos, I did come back to a main road. Swallowing my pride, I eventually asked for directions and made it to my final destination unscathed and with a funny story to tell.
I guess instead of using the Garmin for my sense of direction it would have been best to "Use the Force" as Yoda had instructed me to before I left. From now on I think if I'm venturing outside of the city to show acreage for sale, I may use a combination of MapQuest, Garmin, and most importantly....THE DIRECTIONS THE LISTING REALTOR GAVE ME ON THE MLS PRINTOUT..
**PLEASE NOTE I DO USE THOSE DIRECTIONS BUT I WAS COMING FROM AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THAT'S MY EXCUSE AND I'M STICKING TO IT**
When selling your home in the Huntington or Charleston Real Estate Market, it is always best to consult a wise and energetic Realtor (ME! ME! ME!) who is able to educate you as to what to expect when your house goes on the market. ***Enters Real Estate Extraordinaire, Bret Nida*** However my friends, I am going to go a different route and address the myths about selling your home and what you should not expect when your home hits the market.
Number Eins. "The listing Realtor will show your home the most and more than likely will be the one who sells it"
As I tell my clients, we help sell your property but very seldom do we sell it. As the listing agent, we are responsible for all the legwork in getting your house out there to potential buyers. Being that every Bob, Tom, and Tammy knows a Realtor, they see the home in an ad or online and call that Realtor up, who then calls to schedule a showing. From there, we handle the negotiation and help get your home sold at its utmost price.
Number Zwei. " My home will be in every magazine"
Before I became a Realtor, I too thought a lot of these myths when my house was on the market and actually asked my agent( who is now my broker , Jeff Maddox), why my house was not in the magazine one particular week. A good Real Estate company should have a large stock of listings so therefore your home will be rotated in and out of the magazines to make room for others. At least with Great American Realty we print our own monthly books so your home will always be in that. In addition, your home is always going to be on the internet.
Number Drei. "She cancelled the contract because of the inspection so I will get her earnest money"
As long as the buyer has written notice from the inspection as to why they are cancelling the contract and has provided it to the listing Realtor in a timely manner, and in accordance to the date in the contract, then they can cancel and have their earnest money returned to them. Everything needs to be within reason!
Number Vier. "It would be best if I stay for the showing in case they have any questions"
Never. Nope. Forget it! It is always a bad thing when the seller tries to show a house. Although you may be trying to help, this can cause pressure on the buyer and make them feel rushed. Let the professionals do the work.
Number Funf. "My house has been on the market for over 90 days and I'm not getting any offers. It must be the Realtor"
Yes, this could be the case for there are bad apples in any business. However, should your home not be getting any looks it could be time to rethink the strategy. The three biggest things that determine the sale of your home are location, condition, and price. Review your home and see what you can change to spark some interest.
Purchasing Real Estate is quite an investment and finding the right Real Estate agent who is going to work hard for you is imperative to making sure all goes smoothly. As a Realtor for home buyers and sellers in the Huntington and Charleston Real Estate Markets, I take pride in the long hours and time I set forth to adhere to my responsibilities in ensuring this smooth transition. What is expected of me is to be honest, prompt with any and all information that my buyer or seller should know, research homes and the list of my fiduciary responsibilities as your agent goes on and on( see http://www.naeba.org/naeba/codeofethics.htm ). These expectations are a giving. The agreement between a Realtor and buyer should also be reciprocal. I think it would be fair to say that should I be working really hard, spending lots of time looking for that right house for my buyer, sending emails, spending lots of hours in my car and money for gas, hours on the phone etc, that a buyer should also adhere to a certain guideline to their Realtor. For the list of reasons posted above, a buyer should remain loyal to their Realtor, regardless if a home is listed with another company, a builder or a home sold by an owner( for we can help and it's best to have protection). It should also be expected that the buyer be forthcoming in regards to being financed and as to how much they can really go shopping with. I really am not too concerned about losing clients based on my work ethic for as many of my previous clients will tell, I work hard and make your experience fun and entertaining(see http://www.netbret.com/think.html ). However, I do know that some buyers may be unaware of just how much time and money a Realtor spends with one buyer and may assume that any Realtor will do. My job is to educate, so this is why I am writing this blog. Working hard for you is to be expected from me and puts food on my table and gas in my tank. So, be serious about your expectations and be loyal. Check this link for more info: http://www.expertvillage.com/video/18293_home-buying-buyer-loyalty.html
The notion of paying on a mortgage for a home in Charleston or Huntington WV for a 30-year period can be a little bit frightening and may distract some from the true value of owning their own Real Estate.
However, with the right financial planning one may be able to shrink this 30-year period to as little as 23 years and maybe more should you load up on payments. Enter the Bi-Weekly payment. We shall use the following example to show just how much savings you can attain through this method: $100,000 30-year mortgage at a 6.5% will accrue $127,544 in interest, plus the $100,000 principal. Therefore, you would pay a total of $227, 544. However, if you would pay one-half of your monthly mortgage every two weeks you would only accrue $97,215 in interest, a savings of $30,329! Obviously the more you would be able to pay, the more money you would save and the less the life on your loan would be.
Please keep in mind that there are such things as pre-payment penalties with some banks so it is best to check with your lender to see if this would apply to you. Typically, those most apt to incur such a fee would be those whose loan is bought out by a secondary market (this is usually those with questionable or high-risk credit... CHECK WITH YOUR LENDER!) In addition, it is also best that you make sure your lender will apply the first payment of the month at that exact time and not when the second one arrives. Otherwise, these efforts are futile and you will be getting nowhere. In other words, do your homework or ask me where to start!
While surfing the net on my ever quest to attain as much knowledge as possible, I came across some laws that we West Virginians have seemed to overlook and not adhere to. I scan the list and feel ashamed that I, the once law abiding citizen who never goes one mile over the speed limit(just two miles over) have broken some of these laws. I must admit, I feel like doing some community service to redeem myself. Perhaps I shall go to Joplin Park and clean up some rubbish! By now, you may be wondering what in the Sam Fritz I may be babbling about.... However my dear readers, you too may also be guilty. I encourage you to scan the list of laws below that our founding fathers(and mothers) have laid forth for us to abide by to ensure a better "Wild and Wonderful" West Virginia. For more crazy laws throughout the United States, check out this site: http://crazytopics.blogspot.com/2007/01/craziest-laws-in-america.html
Also, should you be completely abashed by your habitual law breaking and feel compelled rid your conscious of the times you walked a lion or tiger on a leash through Ritter Park in Huntington, WV or the times you've allowed your child to go to school with their breath smelling of wild onions, click the link below and write your Senator!
•· According to the state constitution, it is unlawful for anyone to own a red or a black flag.
•· Alderson: One may not walk a lion, tiger or leopard, even on a leash.
•· A person may not hold public office if they have ever taken part in a duel. A person may be jailed for up to six months for making fun of someone who does not accept a challenge.
•· Doctors and dentists may not place a woman under anesthesia unless a third person is present.
•· Huntington: Firemen may not whistle or flirt at any woman passing a firehouse.
•· If you wear a hat inside a theater, you may be fined.
•· In Nicholas County, W. Va., no member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service.
•· In West Virginia it is illegal to dig for ginseng on your neighbor's lawn without their permission.
•· In West Virginia, it is legal for one to take road kill home for dinner
•· It is against the law for men to have sex with any animal over 40 pounds in weight.
•· It is illegal to snooze on a train.
•· It is illegal to spit on any sidewalk which women may walk down.
•· Nicholas County: No member of the clergy is allowed to tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during a church service.
•· No children may attend school with their breath smelling of "wild onions."
•· When a railroad passes within 1 mile of a community of 100 or more people in it, they must build a station and stop there regularly to pick up and drop off passengers.
I'm a man that likes to Travel and when I travel I like to take all my friends. Besides the wife, I like to take my other best friends Robert "Nesta" Nida and "Beastie" Boy Nida (two of Huntington Dog Shelters finest). These are my dogs! The oldest dog Nesta, has accompanied me on many trips and has more miles under his belt than your average Joe, or Fido in his case. I've taken this fine specimen (Chow and Collie mix) to festivals, camping trips, canoe rides and to the moon once (well that was a weird dream I had once but he was there J ) To the point..... When I've been to larger cities (Boulder, Colorado, Seattle, Washington, Portland, Maine), I've noticed that a lot of the parks are leash less parks. What a great idea?
I hate putting my dog on a leash. I've spent a lot of my time trying to train my dogs to be trained by my voice and they are well behaved. It seems that a leash less park would be a great idea for Huntington or Charleston, West Virginia. Any city that I've gone to that has some culture has a leash less park. I love West Virginia and would live nowhere else but that is one thing we lack, culture! Of course there are numerous other "cultural" things I could think before this but my dog is here nudging me to stick to my point. J
Of course Ritter Park in Huntington, WV has a great spot behind the Tennis courts that would be ideal for such a venture. The are already numerous people that bring "people and dog friendly" dogs the play in the evening and they are not on a leash. The dogs mingle with others and have just a ball! No pun intended. With a little of that "animal tax" money we could use that to make a large fence to around Ritter Park or Harvey Town Park and set out friends free. Of course there are other benefits from this as well. We could use the "dogs' land mines" they leave behind and recycle them as fertilizer for the city parks. Now there is a convenient truth!
Now I know everyone does not like dogs and to some this may be a laughable subject. I can respect that, so this is why I'm offering a leash less park where only folks with dogs mainly go already anyway to walk their dogs without a leash. Free Nesta and Beastie!
In the days when I was in the market for a home, I always wondered why some Real Estate Ads never had a price or address. I must admit that this was very frustrating to me for I always wanted to just drive by first and check on the house before I committed to calling my agent at the time. I've noticed others feel the same way so I can completely understand. Due to the ability to have access to almost all the information we can think of, it should seem that this should be true as well with a house we want to buy. However, although most of us out there who are searching for a home genuinely want more info on a house so we can "just drive by", there are those sick people out there who have to ruin it for us all. There have been numerous cases of people who prey on folks who sell there home and like to drive by to see if a house is vacant or not. As a Realtor, we are the shield against such knot heads. It is our job to attempt and screen potential buyers from those who may have shady objectives to steal your copper or other possessions. Granted, I do get several calls for those just wanting addresses and I give it to them most of the time, for if someone was attempting to do more than just "drive by" I would at least have their number on my caller id. So always know that there is a method to our madness and the method is always in the best interest of everyone's safety.
As buyers search to find their dream home, some may not be aware that we Realtors all share the same information if the house is listed in the MLS. What in the world is the MLS? The Multiple Listing Service is a wonderful tool that we Realtors use to share our homes we have for sale to other Realtors. This is a wonderful tool! For if each Realtors has an average of 5 or 6 clients at one time, and there are about 400 Realtors in the area, then that means a home could possible be exposed to over 2000 clients at one time! This means we can show and sell any home regardless if it is Jane Doe Realty, New Village, or one of Great American Realty's Finest! So as you go to search for your dream home, don't be deterred if it doesn't happen to be one of my listings or Great American Realty's for I can show and sell regardless of who has their sign in the yard!
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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