Beating Buyer's Stress - Strategy #4 - 06/28/07 07:02 AM
Get knowledge. One thing you'll probably feel during this transition time is being out of control. It feels like everyone else has taken over your life. The seller, your lender, the appraiser, the inspectors; all have the power to say yes or no to your moving plans. Your real estate agent … (0 comments)
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Beating Buyer's Stress - Strategy #3 - 06/27/07 11:39 AM
Trust in the process. There's just so much to do, it's easy to panic. You wonder if it will ever work out. You think you're taking a big chance, but the truth is you're giving yourself a big chance. Even though you can't see every step of the way, as you move … (0 comments)
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I've Never, Have you? - 06/27/07 11:13 AM
I thought I might have had a settlement on Monday. As I said a couple days ago I thought we had resolved everything. But, alas, it's like a Shakespearean tragedy. There was all too much drama in this transaction for a small shell of a house that needs to be fixed … (1 comments)
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I had a settlement today, I think... - 06/25/07 09:27 PM
I am supposed to be on vacation this week. The settlement on my deal from a very hot place was supposed to settle on the 15th and finally, settled today, I think. The reason I think...
I arrived at the attorney's office at 3:30 with my client, the seller. And, we waited, … (2 comments)
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Beating Buyer's Stress - Strategy #2 - 06/25/07 09:09 PM
Be flexible. In your monetary calculations, over-estimate by at least a thousand dollars. In this market, anything can happen between contract acceptance and closing. It could be that the inspections reveal areas of concern that the seller is unwilling to fix, or the repair costs are higher than the amount limited in … (0 comments)
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When to say when.. - 06/21/07 10:40 PM
I was asked an interesting question of possible fair housing today. And, I thought it was very interesting and could see arguing both sides of the fence on it, but which is correct and which is ethical, the area is very grey and under what grounds can you say "no, I … (4 comments)
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Beating Buyers Stress Strategy #1 - 06/21/07 07:28 AM
Begin with the end in mind. Have an ultimate scenario of where you're trying to be that you've developed with the help of your realtor. What will life be like when you get there? How will it be better than where you are now? Dwell on that picture and write it … (0 comments)
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Recruiting Services - 06/20/07 10:21 PM
I'm a brand new office manager and one of my first duties as manager was to increase the number of agents in our office. Our corporate office suggested that we subscribe to a company called Recruit Tool. It seemed like a good idea at the time and we're over a month … (1 comments)
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Some things to consider when buying a home - 06/20/07 10:15 PM
Make the Right Choice
Choosing which home to purchase is the critical phase of your search - make sure the house is right for you before deciding to buy. Consider your wish list, the location, and the price when making your final decision. Be sure you take into account the finances and … (0 comments)
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House Hunting Strategy#5 - Stop Calling The Ads and Signs - 06/18/07 05:13 AM
A word of caution - sellers create ads solely to make the phone ring! Many homes have some drawback not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic noise, power lines, or litigation in the community. What's not mentioned in the ad is usually more important than what is. For this reason, … (2 comments)
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Do you do rentals? - 06/16/07 10:55 AM
I often wonder how many real estate agents list and rent rental properties.
I do and I always get asked why.
Rentals are quick and easy money. Generally speaking renters will look at a couple houses and make a decision. A week or so later you get paid, you don't have to … (3 comments)
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Take Your Time - 06/16/07 10:50 AM
And, don't let your realtor push you into buying a house that you aren't quite sure you want to buy. Your agent should show you everything available that meets your requirements. Don't make a decision on a house until you feel that you've seen enough to pick the best one. Go … (0 comments)
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Consideration and Punctuality - 06/15/07 10:23 AM
Our office has started using a company called Recruit Tool to help target agents and set appointments for interviews. We've been doing this for a month now.
Today I had 4 appointments scheduled. The first was at 9:00 am and I'm never in the office at that time but this agent … (5 comments)
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House Hunting Strategy #3 - 06/15/07 06:17 AM
Before house hunting, make a list of 9 things you want in the new place. Then make a list of the 9 things you don't want. We call this "9 of This and None of That". You can use this list as a scorecard to rate each home you see. The … (0 comments)
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Source of Referrals - 06/15/07 06:12 AM
I have been giving this topic a lot of thought over night.
A few weeks ago my daughter announced that her boyfriends parents were getting ready to sell their house. I asked her if she had given my card to them and she hadn't, she hadn't even mentioned to them that … (13 comments)
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Strategy #2 - 06/14/07 09:39 PM
If you have a house to sell, sell it before selecting a house to buy! Imagine that we go out looking for the perfect house for you. We find it and you love it! Now you have to go make an offer to the seller. You not only want the seller … (1 comments)
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Furthering Your Lot in Life - 06/14/07 01:45 PM
We all have to take continuing education classes to maintain our license status. However, how many of us leave that to the last minute and then have to rush around to get the classes we need? Or do we take them all at once at the beginning of our licensing period … (1 comments)
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Buying Strategy #1 - Don't get prequalified - 06/14/07 07:29 AM
Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money? Then make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one. Often other terms, such as the strength of … (0 comments)
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Why own your own home - 06/12/07 07:18 AM
You've probably seen lots of financial arguments about why you should own your own home rather than rent. This includes budgeting (no rent increases) and the tax savings you'll most likely have. Now I'm going to give you some reasons you probably haven't heard.
1. Freedom to pursue other goals in life … (0 comments)
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Accountability in Our Industry and Our World - 06/11/07 07:38 PM
I have been thinking a lot lately about how we as a society have become very lax over making people be accountable and responsible for their actions. This has been especially true in our industry over the past few years.
Over the past 3 weeks I have witnessed several buyers walk … (1 comments)
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14 Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent - 06/11/07 06:59 AM
•1. How long have you been in Real Estate full time?
•2. Do you personally answer all phone calls on your listings?
•3. Can we cancel the listing if we're not happy? Can we cancel our buyer's agency agreement if we are not happy?
•4. Do you have a personal assistant?
•5. If you go … (0 comments)
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Feeling Overwhelmed - 06/10/07 10:34 PM
For most of the week last week I felt very overwhelmed with the amount of things I thought I needed to accomplish to the point where I was almost crippled to non-performance by what I felt was too much to do. How many of you have felt that way? Many, I … (5 comments)
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The Changing Face of Real Estate - 06/08/07 10:01 AM
I have been involved in the real estate industry for over 20 years and I have seen a lot of changes.
Up until a few years ago I would have said that the introduction of Buyer's Agency was probably the biggest single change I had seen. I thought it was a good … (4 comments)
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The Finest Compliment - 06/07/07 06:31 AM
The finest compliment I can receive is a referral from my friends and family.
How many of us have that printed on the back of our business card, on our stationary, on our tag lines? Do you receive many referrals from that? I didn't think so. Me either.
Do you know how … (9 comments)
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Professionalism in Our Industry - 06/06/07 10:37 AM
I have had one of the worst experiences in professionalism in our industry recently. And, I can't help but wonder how wide spread this is given our reputation of being just slightly better than used car salesmen.
I have been working on this transaction since the beginning of April and it was … (4 comments)
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Tuesday Morning Musings of an Agent, Owner, Manager Insomniac - 06/05/07 07:27 AM
I can't help but wonder what other agent, owner, managers think about as they drift off to sleep or what they think about that keeps them from their dreams.
In a changing market there is so much that can impact the success of an office. Buyer's are taking longer to decide which … (2 comments)
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Preparing for the recruiting interview - 06/04/07 10:33 PM
I've been busy preparing myself for interviews later this week. I am interviewing 3 new agents this week and hopefully they will decide that I will be the perfect Manager for them and my company will be the perfect fit for them. But will they be the perfect fit for me … (1 comments)
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Determining The Price for Your Home - 06/04/07 02:55 PM
Figuring out the right price for your home is a difficult task. If you set too high a price and your home may sit on the market for a long time and not get any showings - too low and you may get thousands less than you could have.Use Your Resources - … (0 comments)
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Why do you need a buyer's agent? - 06/03/07 04:28 PM
Why do I need a Buyer's Agent?
Help you identify what your needs are in a homeHelp you get preapproved for financingHelp you become familiar with neighborhoods, screen properties before you go to look at them to be sure they meet your needsWrite your contract and present it to the listing agentThe … (0 comments)
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Changing Face of Financing - 06/02/07 10:40 PM
FHA, FHA 203B, FHA 203K, CDA, LNYW, LNYW+, MMP, VA, Community Communitment, My Community and the list goes on and on. How do you keep them all straight?
The real estate industry has been changing over the last few months. Listings are staying on the market longer. Homes need to be … (4 comments)
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The Importance of Punctuality - 06/01/07 09:38 AM
Have you ever been late for an appointment? I'm sure this has happened to all of us from time to time. However, as professionals our punctuality is a reflection on our professionalism. If you are going to be later at least call your appointment and let them know that you are … (5 comments)
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