realtors: A new year, a new plan. Have you made yours yet? - 12/26/10 11:50 AM
I've always found it difficult to make myself sit down at the end of the year and come up with a good business plan for the year ahead.  I know it's the best thing I can do, but none-the-less I have to make myself do it.
To prove my point, I'm posting instead of planning.
I think what makes this process so painful is that I find it hard, if not impossible, to anticipate what all the "variables" will do to my plan.  I hate to have outside influences ruin my plans.
"If this doesn't happen, and if that doesn't happen."  you … (4 comments)

realtors: How do you maximize your commission value when representing a buyer? - 10/05/10 01:31 PM
All MLS's are different as to rules and regs.  In our MLS, one of the rules is that (sic) "you can't include an increase in your selling commission as part of the offer." (I'll be happy to share with you the entire rule upon request.)  So if the SOC is only half of what you'd expect, what do you do?
How do you insure that your hard work is going to pay you what you believe your effort and expertise is worth?
A Buyer's Agency Agreement.
If you're not comfortable with these, you had better tell yourself that you need to … (0 comments)

realtors: Be the best cheese burger you can be. - 09/20/10 08:56 AM
I'm fairly certain, just like me, that all of us have a favorite place to go to when we have a craving for a cheese burger, or maybe a sit-down meal.  Some places we wouldn't even consider.
I know that my wife only likes to shop at a particular grocery store and will drive out of her way to go there.
And, like many shoppers I have certain stores that I'll go to, and others that I'll avoid.  You see signs of customer loyalty everywhere.
Automobiles stand out in mind as one of the commodities that some consumers seem prepared to … (0 comments)

realtors: How much would you spend to stage your listing? - 08/22/10 02:40 PM
Staging has been one of the best ideas in real estate over the past few years.  I'm totally impressed with the results.  It sure in the heck beats the old "put it in the MLS" standard.
So let me ask you this. You have a good listing in a bad location. The neighbors aren't "tidy", the fences into the sub-division are "tagged" and you're getting no showings.  Where do you spend your money?
I know for a fact that ads will not work in this situation, because your listing doesn't fit with the community it's in. (Beautiful home in *%)^# neighborhood.)  
I don't know … (3 comments)

realtors: Where do the roads lead to? - 08/14/10 02:50 PM
Here in Washington State, Pierce County has been paving and chip sealing every road in sight.  I guess it's good for the economy - if you're in the road business.
Question?  Are these roads leading to new jobs?  Or to my listing?
… (1 comments)

realtors: You need to take time to enjoy life. - 07/07/10 07:09 AM
After a very grueling past couple of years in "the business", and with no clear vision of when things will actually become some what normal, my wife and I took an extended 4th of July holiday and spent it with family on our Anderson Island property.
This photo of Snuggles and Charlie on the island makes me realize once again that there's much more to life then real estate.

… (2 comments)

realtors: Lender's interference kills deal. - 06/24/10 04:15 PM
We just had a deal go south today do to the lender's involvement. This sale was written several weeks ago, but we didn't discover until this week that the branch manager for the lender was the fiance of the buyer.
Her name was not on the purchase and sale. The buyer had his inspections, title review, seller's disclosure, appraisal, & septic pump all in a timely fashion with no issues.
Suddenly he starts asking for things that we're not part of the original deal.  Such as, "can I build a shop on the property?"  (It's water front with a wet land set-back which he already … (2 comments)

realtors: Real Estate and Marriage... the same effort. - 06/15/10 11:54 AM
My wife and I are celebrating 39 years of marriage on June 16th. (Well, maybe she's not)  Most definitely the best move of my life.
On the real estate side of things, keeping a balance with agent egos and clients whims, doesn't it take a similar kind of effort to stay married?
I love you honey. Thank you Susie! 
… (6 comments)

realtors: To key box or not to key box. That is the problem. - 05/23/10 01:41 PM
I remember going to the NAR convention around '84 as a member of the NAR MLS committee. People from all over the country talked about lock boxes, key boxes and no box at all!
I forget exactly where it was, ( either Delaware or Connecticut) but one of committee members told us that in her little town they (sic) "just put the key over the front door."
Times have deffinately changed that's for sure.
However, I'd like to hear from you.   How do you over-come a seller's objection to having a lock box on the house?
… (8 comments)

realtors: Side sewer ordinance goes into effect. - 05/19/10 09:43 AM
After 2 years of working with representatives from Tacoma's real estate community, the City Council passed a new ordinance that requires Tacoma property owners to have a certified inspection of their private side sewer prior to the sale or transfer of a property, a major remodel or any construction over an existing side sewer.
This City ordinance requires a visual inspection of the building and property for sources of inflow and a television video inspection of the private side sewer from the building to the City of Tacoma sewer main to determine the condition of the pipe.
This ordinance becomes effective … (2 comments)

realtors: In a short sale transaction, who do you work for? - 04/20/10 02:23 PM
I'm sure that many of you who have had a short sale transaction can become confused about who your client really is.
I've seen numerous listing agents send the deal to the lender before they have the seller sign the deal. "No sense in signing around if the lender doesn't agree."
We have a form in our MLS that says (sic) it's a short sale, and all time-frames start when the lender has agreed to the terms.
The form we use for short sales also allows for the selling agent to check off 1 of 2 boxes. The first box says … (6 comments)

realtors: It's not too late to be part of National Open House weekend. - 04/07/10 04:42 AM
If your Association is participating in the National Association of Realtors Nationwide Open House Weekend, this could be one of your last chances to capitalize on the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit.
Slated for April 10th & 11th, this should be a great weekend for anyone to hold an open house - even if you didn't sign up with your Association's local advertisement.
Houses that are off of main roads most often simply need an "open house" sign to catch a buyer's eye. 
Take advantage of the both the local and national advertising, and spend a couple of hours this Saturday and … (1 comments)

realtors: To single click or double click. That is the confusion. - 04/03/10 10:15 AM
Tired of wondering why and when you should single click or double click?   Here's a way to make everything a single click.  
Click the Start button in the lower left corner of your screen.   Click "my computer"  (for Vista users it just says "computer")   Select "tools" from the list at the top of your screen and then "folder options".   Select the "general" tab.   Select "single click to open an item"   Click "apply" and "OK".   Ta-da!
 
 
… (0 comments)

realtors: Would you like to be more comfortable with social media? - 03/30/10 02:50 PM
I'm a "baby boomer" and for some of us old relics we find it difficult to make the transition into what makes today's real estate work for us.
If you blog (you apparently do since you're reading this) but would really like to enhance your business use of Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or Foursquare, I advise you to contact Marguerite Giguere.
Her email address is TheSkydivingRealtor.com.
Not only is she willing to assist you, but she breaks it down into "people speek." 
 
… (4 comments)

realtors: Prep your buyer for the "parental review and approval"! - 03/19/10 01:00 PM
I'm not really sure why some buyers want some one who is not a part of the purchase of their home to give an endorsement as a condition of buying.
With parents, it may be because mom and dad are loaning them the down payment, or it could simply be that they want reinforcement from the family that they made a "good choice".
When it comes to siblings or friends, their endorsement may almost be impossible to acquire  - simply because of ego or because they believe that it's their job to "get you a better deal."
I"ve learned that when a sale is conditioned upon some … (7 comments)

realtors: The sky is falling, the sky is falling.... - 03/03/10 12:01 PM
Over the years I've been amazed at how easy it is to get an agent to think in the negative, vs. the positive.
I'm sure this applies to all commission sales people.
I had an agent that worked for me in the early 80's.  He would walk into the office, talk about gloom and doom and the end of the world, yet he was writing 3-5 deals a month.  Rates were at about 15% at that time.
I finally took him aside and said "Jerry, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't come into the office with such a negative attitude. After-all … (7 comments)

realtors: Bidding up the price could cost your buyer more money than they bargained for! - 02/11/10 07:22 AM
It seems as though some agents have made it a practice to "bid up" a bank repo in order to get the property under contract, and then if the appraisal is lower than what they offered they are expecting the bank to pay the difference.
We just recieved notice from one of our asset managers for one of the larger lenders, that (sic) "on FHA multiple offer scenarios, the bank will require the highest bidder to sign an addendum stating that the buyer will make up the shortage in cash between the offered price and the appraised value if the property … (0 comments)

realtors: View properties - When do you hold an open house? - 02/08/10 06:46 AM
In the Northwest it's sometimes difficult to predict the weather a week in advance when planning to advertise an open house for a "view property".
If the day of your open house is rainy or overcast, do you simply cancel in hopes of better weather?
I say no.  That's where photos can show the view if Mother Nature doesn't want to cooperate. 
Most view properties have owners that have taken numerous photo's of the view that their property offers, which can be put on display for perspective buyers to see.
At the very least, you can take a montage of photos yourself … (2 comments)

realtors: Super Bowl Open House - 02/05/10 11:50 AM
I have a very good friend in the business that works for a competitor.  Over the 30 plus years that I've know her, she has always made a point of holding an open house or sitting site on New Years Day.
Her name is JoAnne Stafford with the Contact Corp.
She has told me that over the years, she has made a lot of deals on New Years Day.  I found that hard to believe - since my wife and I usually had a big party at our home the night before.
JoAnne is more devoted to work then to self … (4 comments)

realtors: Now's the time to re-evalaute your game plan. - 02/03/10 10:04 AM
This may only be the 2nd month of the new year, but 1/12th of the year is over with, and Christmas is right around the corner.
Take a look at the goals you set for yourself this year and see if they're on track.  I encourage my agents to review their goals monthly so that they're able to make course changes as needed - not after it's too late.
 
… (0 comments)