Avon Lake: Yesterday!

          As a producer with Avon Lake Cable Television, it has been my pleasure to host several interviews of many of Avon Lake's long time residents, and in the process of these interviews I have learned much about Avon Lake: Yesterday!  The Avon Library and our cable station have begun recording history segments to help our residents learn about what it was like "back then".

            There are so many residents that have spent most of their lives in Avon Lake.  So many have stories of school days, farming the land, swimming at the beach at the end of Route 83, the railroad that took them east to Cleveland, etc.   Many remember the old Saddle Inn as a train station and a hotel.

The 5 & 10 Cent store plus drug store in what was then Town Center have been mentioned more than once.  Many tell stories of driving to Lorain or Bearden's in Rocky River on Friday nights with their friends.  They didn't date individually but dated in groups.  Mom and Dad wouldn't let them go alone in a car......they felt there was "safety in numbers".  

Some remember teacher names.  Some talk about the discipline they received in school but were much more concerned about what they would "get" when their father came home.  Some talk about the doctor making house calls when they were sick.

Some remember when Electric Boulevard was a dirt road.   But all remember they grew up in a fine place, had great neighbors, are still involved with the Church they attended as a child, bought a home here and raised their own children here.  Some now have grandchildren living in Avon Lake.  

Avon Lake, Ohio, could be renamed Family Friendly for all generations.

Avon Lake Real Estate

Creatures of Mother Nature 

Sitting at my computer desk today, I looked out my window and noticed some wonderful creatures of nature.  There were birds pecking away at the bird feeder my grandson gave me for Christmas.  To my surprise, the bush next to birdfeeder was moving. Someone or something caught my eye…….a chipmunk!  “IT” jumped from the branch and rode the feeder until it stopped swinging.  There it was filling its’ pouches with bird feed.  It was experiencing a feeding frenzy and then stopped to peek in my window and froze.  In that split second I snapped the attached photo.  Amazing!

Then I stopped and marveled at Mother Nature.  The developers design neighborhoods, builders build them, we move in and still Mother Nature has her creatures living with us.   We are all her creatures!

Then while preparing dinner I turned around in the kitchen to look out the bay window and see a deer in our backyard! 

A wonderful day indeed!  Remember to take time to enjoy the many creatures and shows Mother Nature provides to us - and they are FREE!

Running a Real Estate Business!  

          I just finished reading an article about running a real estate business and what the new real estate professional needs to have and do to survive in our profession.  Very interesting statistics I thought I would share.  

          Within the first year as a Realtor 90% of the newbees are out of the business.  Within 4 years only 7% of the remaining 10% are still around.  The average agent with 3-5 years experience earns an average income of $27,100.   Why do 93% of new Realtors drop out of the industry?    

          Running a Real Estate Business is like any other sales business.  The difference is we are THE business owner under the umbrella of a real estate company.  Each Realtor must be a business owner in order for them to succeed.  As a business owner we need to make decisions in the interest of THE business, even if it conflicts with what we want to do or be as an individual.  Real estate can be much like a jealous partner. 

            Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to hear Peter Drucker speak at one of the many conventions I attend.  For those not familiar with this gentleman Mr. Drucker was to business what the silver paper is to the Hershey's kiss.  He spoke these words "There is only one valid definition of business purpose - to create a customer"!  He taught me that profit is a by product of doing business well!     

          When you are hiring a Realtor, do you ask about real estate experience?  Do you ask how many homes they have sold in your neighborhood or how many buyers purchased homes from them in the past 12 months.  I suggest this not to make it difficult for a newly licensed Realtor but to help you be represented by experience and knowledgeable folks.  Real estate is not a "hard" business but it is a challenging business.  Individuals need to have the skills and desire to have a purpose for their doing business.  Real estate is not about making the sale but building a lifetime relationship with that client.  Real estate is not about the sale but about helping the client make the most important decision they will make at that time in their lives.  A Realtor needs to show they care and are willing to go the extra mile for the best interest of their client.    

Carol Murphy

Re/Max Homeward Bound

Avon Lake Real Estate

Now that you are thinking, what tools do they need? 

First (before we even start our class work) we need to secure a brokerage company to accept our state real estate license once we have passed the written test.  Is that company a member of the National and State Association of Realtors?  Does that company allow you to practice real estate without accepting the National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics.  That in my opinion is the first tool every licensed agent should have.  The code provides the guidelines for our dealings with the public and our peers.

Then what tools should they have in order to service the public.  Let’s see:

          A place to do their business, a computer, a telephone, a database to store their clients information, email account, of course a car (preferably a clean one), multiple listing service(MLS) membership, a map (or GPS system) to find places they aren’t familiar with, a canister of pepper spray for their own safety, signs & sign readers so the public will know who listed that home, lockboxes to place on their new listings, and a cell phone.  These are just the basics.  Some Realtors have a team that is their “tool” for doing the business.  Some Realtors have a copy/fax machine in their cars (those not tech savvy to use email).

Now I will tell you out of all the tools mentioned, I have a very strong opinion about the type of lockboxes I prefer for my selling clients.  Several years ago, the electronic lockbox was introduced in our marketplace.  Many companies recommended their Realtors use this system.  The MLS recommended Realtors use this system.  The lockboxes were not cheap.  The key pad system to open the lockboxes came with an annual fee.  The electronic lockbox put us into the 21^st century.  No more venders/ crocks/gas company linemen/retired agents/agents who lost their licenses due to violations of our industry/unlicensed members of the public/appraisers etc would be able to buy into this NEW improved lockbox system.  Finally a system for the real estate professional.

What happened next? Realtors didn’t like purchasing the new tool.  Realtors didn’t like paying the annual fee for the key pad entry system.

Sellers were not told about the NEW system.  Sellers weren’t advised of the profound safety factor this NEW system offered them.  Sellers were not even given the option of asking for this NEW system.  So the companies stopped recommending the system to their Realtors.  Realtors across our area opted out of the system.  Realtors refused to spend the dollars to protect their selling clients.  Many Realtors never mentioned the upgraded system to their clients.  Leaving the public uneducated to the best tool available.

Why am I writing this blog?  I feel Realtors are not providing their selling clients with the tools necessary to protect their homes. The combination lockboxes are not the safest system available.  Once the combination is given out it no longer offers safety for that home.

Now I say to you, the public, ask your Realtor if they have ALL the tools to do their business.  How are they going to protect you and your family if they aren’t using the electronic lockbox system?  Is that Realtor offering all the services they have access to?  If you start hiring only Realtors that use all the NEW tools, more Realtors will have to buy into this secure method of protecting your property. I have used and still use the electronic system.  The Realtors that don’t have the key pad entry system, need to add to their efforts a stop at my office to pick up

a key to the home their client wants to view.  I don’t want to make it difficult to show my listings but to protect my client’s property I will use only the most secure system available.  Ask your Realtor to help protect your property also.

Avon Lake Real Estate

If you needed heart surgery would you hire a foot doctor to work on you?  If you were hit by a car would you want an artist to handle your legal case?  Then why would you hire a Realtor with not national designation to represent you when you sell or buy real estate?

A CRS is a highly trained professional in the real estate industry.  A CRS is a firm believer in spending money to train themselves to represent their clients' needs.  A CRS is someone who attends training in other states to network with top Realtors and learn how they do things differently for their clients. 

There are less than 4% of the total number (1.2 million as of 6/1/09) of Realtors who hold the CRS designation.  These are Realtors that have attended numerous courses with nationally known trainers.  They have documented numerous transactions and have been honored by the National Association of Realtors and the Council of Residential Specialist as the top Realtors in the Country. 

Hiring a CRS to represent you means your Realtor has special negotiating skills, understands how important communication skills are, uses technology in their daily business, uses the most up to date technology and system tools on the market, and is dedicated to representing your best interest in the transaction.  In 2008, the average NAR member sold 6 homes while the average CRS Realtor sold 24.  Hire the best Realtor.....hire a Certified Residential Specialist today!

 Visit www.CRS.com to locate a CRS agent in your community.

Avon Lake Real Estate

Did you serve our country 20 years ago or are you servicing our country today?  All military personnel are eligible are a VA mortgage loan.  There are many spouses of deceased veterans that are entitled to a VA mortgage loan.

What is a VA mortgage loan?  All veterans, military personnel and surviving spouses are eligible for a no down payment mortgage loan.  There are specific documents that a lender will need in order to process your VA loan.  Your loan is guaranteed by our government.  You served our country and you should be rewarded for that service.

Today VA loans offer low interest rates, 15 or 30 year mortgages fixed rate mortgages, sellers are negotiating to help offset the closing costs for veterans, and veterans can use their eligibility more than once.   Call a Realtor or mortgage lender and ask for assistance to understand how to take advantage of your personal eligibility.  Don't let another day go by with your paying rent to someone else.  Find out how you, a veteran or surviving spouse of a veteran can own your own home.

Carol Murphy

RE/MAX Homeward Bound

Avon Lake Real Estate 

As a 30 year veteran in the real estate industry, I feel I can help you with the answer to this question.  Today's market is a Price War and a Beauty Contest!

What do I mean, you are asking.  A price war like we haven't seen for many many years.

Pricing is the number reason a home sells today.  Sellers need to understand what the market is saying to them.  No homeowner can expect nor should they expect to receive the prices from 2004-2005.  Those prices are gone.  You didn't sell then so get off that train right now. 

Today's market is a Buyer's Market and probably will be for at least another 12 months.

There are many homes for sale.  There are many outstanding homes for sale.  There are many distressed homes for sale.  There are some total wrecks for sale.  Buyer's have a choice and they ARE purchasing homes.  First condition to bring them into your home for sale is Price.  Overprice your home and you will not schedule many appointments.  Buyers are doing their research or hiring a buyer representative to help them know when a good buy is listed.  Buyers have so many homes to consider and they are discounting the ones that aren't priced according to the market without even stepping inside.

Today's market for a seller means you need to win the Beauty Contest and Price War.

Your home must be clean, staged and ready to move into to win the buyer.  Priced accordingly and winning the condition contest.  Location is important but not as important as it was several years ago.  Buyers are buying foreclosed and short sale properties in locations they would not have considered a few years ago.  Buyers are buying a beautiful home in great condition and are willing to pay extra for the condition and location. 

To win the Price War, make sure you have done your research about actual sale prices in your neighborhood.  To win the Beauty Contest, clean-declutter-landscape-stage your home so the buyer wants to call it home.  Need more suggestions on selling a home visit www.CarolMurphy.net.  Ask for a Seller Orientation booklet to help you do it the correct way.

Avon Lake Real Estate 

Many folks ask this question when relocating to Northeast Ohio.  First answer is Lake Erie is our northern border......wonderful views, beautiful sunsets, water sports easily accessible to name a few reasons!

Second is a great school district.  Over 68% of our high school graduates go on to higher education.  Four elementary schools provide excellent opportunities to learn skills, techniques, lessons from many teachers with Master Degrees.  Middle school encourages students to develop their interests in vocal & instrumental music plus a number of school supported sports programs for both girls and boys.  The high school has the distinction of receiving numerous music and sport honors annually.  Fall Friday nights are filled with football action that is supported by the entire community.....in fact, you better have season tickets if you want to attend the big games.

We have a few industries in our area that offset our taxes.  Fortunately, we are the lowest tax basis amongst the top communities in Cleveland's western suburbs.  Avon Lake offers outstanding city services and has an extensive park system throughout for our residents to enjoy year round. 

Avon Lake is a central location for taking in Broadway shows, taking a roller coaster ride at Cedar Point, visiting homes of United State Presidents, touring NASA, watching national league basketball, football and baseball teams, plus visiting the Canton Football Hall of Fame.  Avon Lake offers so much to you and your family.  Check out www.CarolMurphy.net for a complete list of homes available in our city!

Avon Lake Real Estate

 I complain about the weather BUT I love the four seasons of the year. I complain about the roads with potholes (don't we all?).  I complain because we always say maybe next year for the Tribe & the Browns.  (The Cavaliers are making believers out of us this year.)   I complain because there are not many restaurants in town.  No, I really am not the complaining queen in town. 

Avon Lake, Ohio, population about 21,000.  Twelve miles east and west along Lake Erie.  Maybe 3 miles south from shoreline to railroad track border of Avon.   Four elementary schools, a middle school and a beautiful high school with newer field house and natural grass football/soccer stadium.  Full time Mayor.  City facilities and a Save the Woods project.

Avon Lake Homes average price is $190,000 in today's economic snapshot. 

I like the neighborhoods, the residents, the teachers, the city workers, the business people and the library.  You can change your walking pattern every day of the week, see kids playing together, stop by the city pool with all age groups represented, yellow school buses dropping off elementary school children, kids riding bikes and enjoying the city they live in.  Parents in Avon Lake take pride in participating with PTA, the soccer organization, baseball federation, Friday night football games and pre-school activities. Avon Lake shouts neighborhood block parties in the summer, caroling parties during the holidays, monthly Bunko groups, dog shelter volunteers, caring families watching over their neighborhoods and boasts about the short driving distance to Cedar Point and downtown Cleveland.  My grown children ask why we stay in Avon Lake.  I tell them because it is home!

Avon Lake Real Estate

So far today I have talked with 5 other Realtors.  Not one of them said thank you for the call with the information they requested or for making an appointment to show their new listing, or for giving feedback of a showing last Friday or for the invitation to a Chamber luncheon.  What is wrong with us and our peers?

Stop and think about it.  When was the last time someone REALLY thanked you for returning a telephone call?  Did you REALLY thank your client for listing their home with you last week?  Did you thank someone for answering your clients question about the age of the roof?  What would have happened if you wrote a handwritten note to thank a client for doing business with you?  Would a note to a peer thanking them for selling your listing make a difference the next time you showed one of their listings? 

I know you are asking "is Carol crazy?"  Or "when do I have time to write a note?" When was the last time you received a hand written note?  Yesterday?  A week ago?  A month ago?  Do you remember who that note was from?  Of course, you do.  Why....because it is a lost art to hand write a note!  We use email, texting, voice messages to say those two words.  Make a difference in someone's life and write them a note.  They will remember it for a long time.

Avon Lake Real Estate