I was excited that a new listing had come on the market.  It was a home I had listed and sold a couple of years ago and actually had resold just months later when that buyer was quickly transferred again.  So when it came up for sale I just knew it was a match for my client who has been looking on and off for the last year for that special home. 

I quickly sent the listing information and Customer MLS information via email to my client and explained how wonderful of a home it is .. just what they have been seeking.  The response ..

We didn’t care for the photos of the home and have decided to pass on looking at it as it just does not appear to meet what we are seeking.

I hadn’t even looked at the photos as I knew the home well – great finishes, heavy doors, granite in all bathrooms, barrel ceilings in the study & sunroom, etc.  quality plus and beautiful lot.  So I pulled the home up on MLS and was just disgusted.  There were dark pictures and nonsense choice of views of rooms.  The positive features were not shown.  You are allowed up to 25 photos with description area under each if you wish in our MLS system.  There were 12 photos of poor quality with no advantage of the description to point out additional items like over $5,000 of upgraded recessed lighting package, built-ins – huge veranda (with photo), etc.  shameful!

First impressions start with the picture of the home that paints an interest and invites the viewer to want to see more.  Actually look at what you have selected as representative pictures of the home – they tell the story.  Make sure that you work around an obstacle like a tree to get a better view of the home.  If unavoidable that the home is masked by heavy trees and a clear shot is not possible then don’t make that your primary page or lead photo, be creative to pick the most inviting picture that will captivate the buyer to look at more.

When you are presenting the pictures on MLS start with the best points first then end with the weaker facets of the home.  If a view is a huge point then make it one of the first photos, don’t wait until the end.  Think of viewing photos like reading a book.  You have to capture the interest in the first few pages or the book gets closed and never revisited – it was boring!

Make sure the photographs have meaning.  You are not taking pictures of a bedroom bed, you want to show off the lighting, the windows, the interest of the room.  A wide angle lens is best to obtain the results in small room areas. 

Edit your photos.  Make sure the light balance is good, color tone is vibrant, etc.  Take photos at night for an interesting night shot of the exterior or pool area all lite up.  Stage your pictures.  Make sure that clutter is removed, the refrigerator magnets and any distracting items taken away to give a clean and well-presented photograph.

Take advantage of additional area for description and don’t put the obvious.  This is the kitchen, this is a living area.  Discuss highlights, the kitchen has expansive beautiful quality handsome 42 inch cabinets …

One of the responsibilities of a listing agent is to market the home.  Professional presentation of pictures is one of the key elements to the marketing program. 

I’d rather be accused of making a home look a lot better than it actually is by how I staged the right views & points than be the reason a buyer does not want to go look at a listing.

2701 Sylvan Way, McKinney, Texas

Eldorado Master Planned Community, Forest Ridge Subdivision

$575,000 

3,913 sq ft - 5 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths, 3 Car Garage, 3 LAs, Media Room

MLS #11677751

North Dallas Area, McKinney ISD, Minutes to Major Freeways!

One of the loveliest homes you will see.  Incredible former Mayfair Custom Home model that defines elegant with tasteful updated touches.  Located on over a 0.866 of an acre with gorgeous heavily wooded area, this stunning home has an ideal setting for outdoor entertaining.  Outstanding lagoon diving pool/spa with extensive stone enhanced accents, gorgeous lush landscaping, and beautiful double waterfall feature.  A heavily treed site with open area is perfect for games and enjoyment. 

The home has a wonderful floor plan with lots of personality.  The interior is very warm and inviting with tasteful designer paint tones and texture finishes. The main living area (den) has a focal fireplace and has a wall of windows capturing the picturesque backyard beauty.  The master bedroom and secondary bedroom are located on the first level.  The spacious master has a great sitting area by the windows that overlooks the outside pool area.  The master bathroom has been updated and has a charming claw bathtub, elegant tile and handsome shower.  The marble top vanities are split and the master closet is spacious with built-ins.  The kitchen has a focal large island; extensive granite countertops provide lots of surface of work.  Other kitchen features include built-in refrigerator, double ovens, custom fluted cabinets, butler’s pantry, walk-in pantry.  The second level is delightful with generous sized rooms.  One bedroom has a private balcony area.  The second level living area can serve for multiple purposes.  It is currently being utilized as a media room but can also serve as a gameroom, large bedroom suite as it has a private bathroom.  The room is irregular in shape so the room dimension does not capture two alcove areas and a large space that has a built-in computer desk setup. 

Additional features that will be appreciated include nice closet space storage, large utility room with sink, 3 car garage with protective floor finish and workbench, built-ins, elegant light fixtures, delightful updated half bathroom, wood floors, frieze carpet, full bathroom with exterior door for ease of use for backyard entertaining, large covered patio and front porch, stone enhancements on the exterior and much more that will WOW you. 

Located in the Village of Eldorado with wonderful hike & bike trails, neighborhood parks and lakes, and sought after Valley Creek Elementary School.  Exceptional location to major arterial routes, restaurants and retail centers.

33 Creekwood Circle, Richardson, Texas - Prairie Creek Estates - Just Listed!

Modern Vintage Home - Great Design Style & Personality

MLS #11700319 - North Dallas Area

You will just love this home!  One of a kind modern vintage era home filled with artistic touches and personality!  This one owner home was designed by the seller, an architect and custom built to fit the presence mature tree on the site.  The home has many quality finishes including a pier & beam foundation.  You will appreciate the character of the design being kept with the special selection of light fixtures to the way the staircase has been crafted to add an element of design to the front interior entrance.  Varied levels are present with small step areas down & up to continue the modern flair the home has to offer.  The seller also incorporated special stain glass pieces to fit in a built-in dining room hutch cabinet door, in a plantation shutter and hanging at the entrance.  Even a wood mobile was designed to hang in the main living room area to give it an inspired touch.  Lots of wood floors and charming brick floors area present in the property.  The bedroom areas are split with two nice sized bedrooms and full baths located in one wing and a master suite/bathroom are located privately on the second level.  The master bathroom has penny tile vanity tops with dual areas split with a master shower/toilet area between.  There are three closets that accommodate the master area.   There is a large bonus area that can serve as a gameroom, office or even guest bedroom as there is a half bath nearby.  This area can be partitioned off with folding doors to configure to meet your needs.  The home has lots of cabinets and storage.  The oversized one car rear entry garage has an inset area for a work bench.  Views of the Prairie Creek Park greenbelt can be seen from the front yard of the home and this beautiful mature tree lined area is just steps from the property.  Located in popular exceptional schools Prairie Creek Elementary & J J Pearce High School, make this area a standout.  Quick possession is not a problem!   This home has much to offer and leaves a great memorable impression.

Many Realtors when determining the value of a property utilize the Average Cost per Square Foot Method.  Simple enough.  You pull up the neighborhood on MLS, pull the sales for the last six months or so.  Do the math to determine what the average price per foot for the sales comes to then you apply that number to the square footage of the home .. Bingo you have the answer. A third grade mathematics exercise that Realtors trust to be the best way to determine the price a home is worth.

What if I were to tell you that this particular home is located on a large lot, has lavish landscaping, hand-scrapped wood floors throughout the first level, has a pool with waterfall, arbor covered outdoor entertaining area with built-in kitchen and fireplace?  Also what if all the sales in the neighborhood mostly did not have pools, located on smaller interior lots, did not have the extensive wood floors, etc.?  The average price per foot would indicated a far less price than the actual worth of the property.

The homeowner is interviewing several Realtors.  One has been in the profession for 30 years, holds several current designations, was recognized as the Outstanding Realtor of the Year last year by the local board, serves on several real estate commission committees and has a team of marketing specialists and client care specialist eager to make this a top notch experience for the client.  The other Realtors interviewed have been in the business for 5 years or less and all do not hold designations and their resumes seem about the same.  Do you think the seller will select an Average Realtor?  Do you think that a buyer really when looking at properties sees them all as average?  No, the standout property will merit additional monetary consideration.  It is not average and to apply such a simple form of analysis is just defaulting to Easy as to learn how to properly adjust sales takes some additional time and education.

One way to catch quick and deserved attention is to be the Realtor who gets away from applying the Average and actually adjusting for points of difference and deriving at a thoughtful conclusion as to the worth of a property.  It sets you above the average to the unique and demonstrates your expertise and additional arsenal of ammunition you will bring to the table for negotiations.

Being average is easy but being exceptional gets the best results.  You and your clients will benefit.  When I teach classes on how to value homes I put up on the overhead - No to the Average Price per Square Foot .. Don't Be Average.

When you celebrate a canceled showing appointment on one of your listings, this is one clue that you just need a little R & R.  I found myself doing the little happy dance as I opened an early morning email to find that my afternoon schedule has just opened up, time back to me.

How do you know you are addicted to your occupation?  When you have that gift of recaptured time and your first thought is how can you productively plug it in with dollar generating activity?  After considering a spontaneous open house on a vacant home to working on prospect touches a little bell sounded ... just take time to smell the roses.

Doing something for oneself is just as important as working your behind off.  It is the downtime that we often deny and then instead of momentum generating it backfires into negative attitude, loss of enthusiasm and positive energy into your business.

So today I will focus on "me" this afternoon and working on attitude.  My work days will not be an ever ending blend without a day off and tomorrow I will start fresh with looking forward to the week instead of ... just another day of many. 

3413 June Drive, McKinney, Texas - $209,500

Crescent Ridge/Ridge Road Estates - West McKinney Area - Frisco ISD!

3 Bedroom/Study/2 Bath/DR/LR/2 Car Garage - 2,125 SF

MLS #11659251

One of those fun listings that is a pure pleasure to represent!  So many outstanding gorgeous finishes for an exceptional value.  This property is located conveniently near in west McKinney just a couple of minutes from Hwy 121 tollway, IH 75 (Central Expressway), and Hwy 380.  This truly is an incredible home which has no pets  or children that have lived at the property - pristine!

Incredible describes this highly customized Newmark built home.  No expense spared with all the special quality extras and thoughtful planning of this stunning home.  Meticulously kept and shows like a feature home for the model presentation touch.  The outside expanded quality covered area with stone flower beds, stamped concrete decking, expensive cedar board on board fence, focal fountain and lush landscaping has over $35,000 in finishes making this an entertaining sanctuary for enjoyment.  The back and side yards are no maintenance but nice gated off area on the side for pet use.  The front elevation is attractive with the covered front brick floored large front porch.  Immediate first impressions will be validated as you note the enhanced landscaped yard and beautiful glass front entry door with quality storm door to offer security and energy efficiency.  The interior has neutral upgraded Berber carpet and neutral tile floors.  The windows have custom drape treatments and blinds.  The floorplan is open with lots of windows.  The kitchen has granite countertops and upgraded appliances, breakfast bar, pantry, and custom stained 42” cabinets.  The living area has plenty of wall space for a large entertainment center and focal custom stained cast stone fireplace.  The master is a great retreat and is located split for privacy and at the back of the home.  It is spacious and has two walk-in closets.  The master bathroom features a huge garden tub,  dual sinks, one piece marble separate shower for ease of cleaning and private toilet area.  The secondary bedrooms  are a nice size and one has a huge closet.  The study could easily be utilized as a bedroom.  The owners opted to not have a closet installed but there is an inset present that can be quickly made to have a closet.  This room is very spacious.  Many fun extras including landscape positioned by window area to give a nice view, beautiful dining room chandelier, large built-in lite bookcase in the hallway, recessed lighting well placed, and much more!  The homeowner’s association pool and playground area is just a half of block away.  Serviced by Frisco ISD, the property taxes enjoy the lower tax rate.  Exceptional home and outstanding location.  It will WOW you.

WOW ... Huge Yard and Beautifully Updated Home - Just Listed

5012 Grampian Way, McKinney, Texas

MLS#11655548 - Dallas Area

Located in the popular Villages of Lake Forest subdivision on the central western side of McKinney, this home has location, location, location appeal.  McKinney Boyd High School is just two blocks away, access to 3 major arterial routes is just minutes to reach from this home which makes it a work commuter's delight for ease of travel. 

Besides the wonderful updates and features this home has to offer, the floor plan is one of the most sought after layouts.  The home is a one story with a bonus room up.  The bonus room can serve for many uses making it versatile to mold into your needs. 

McKinney, Texas - 5th Best Place to Live in the United States (Money Magazine)

I heard it again yesterday from a potential seller - Appraisers are just suppressing our home values!  The word has finally reached the more informed public, there are challenges in selling the home and now the blame is being aimed at the appraisers. The thought of appraisers can bring a chill up the spine and a big gulp, will I have a valuation issue?

Finally, the difficulty of the home value challenge has shifted some from the agent onto the hurdle of the appraisal.  It use to be when I delivered the message about the value estimate of the home I would also have to enlighten the owners about what obstacles we face in our industry.  If the home is unique or there was limited data then the problem would be data and the appraiser having a challenge with the report. The word has gotten out and the concerns of this part of the home selling process have taken main focus.

There are ways to combat appraisal problems and take control. Knowing what your challenge may be on the front end will help prepare you for offers and the appraiser.

 Being prepared is the first line of defense.  This is one of the strongest tools that a listing agent can offer to their client - knowing about your home, the amenities and comparables that will be available.  Making a list of the amenities and on each comparable sale knowing what the points of difference are & how your home may offer more. 

Why are we running scared when it comes to the appraisal?  Fear of the selection of an appraiser with attitude, fear that your home value is strained and the appraiser will not value, fear that the appraiser will just look at living area and bathroom count only and not consider all the additional finishes, condition of the home.

To take a bite of the fear we have a responsibility to invest time in preparing the strongest defense of our listing's true worth.  ASSUME NOTHING .. do not assume that the appraiser has noted the extensive floor finishes, updated appliances, lot size, view amenities, etc.  You can prepare information in a non-confrontational manner by having a well prepared packet ready.  Make sure what you have prepared does meet with good comparable selection not just all sales thrown together and handed over.  Know what these sales will say when analyzed.  Write out the points of difference ... this home did not have wood floors in all the lower level like my listing, it was on a smaller site size, it is older and not as updated, etc. 

Know that the issue may not be the appraiser who we would love to pass on the blame.  The report must be prepared to meet varied guidelines, meet the test of underwriting and review, utilize sales within 6 months, etc.  With reporting restrictions, the Realtor has a responsibility to be aware before the listing is taken what situation they may face and plan for the obstacles they will face.  They need to inform the owners so there are no surprises.  They need to be cautious on the contract terms and buyer qualification. BE AWARE!

If you are a true professional then bring on the challenge - you will be ready.  If you happen to get that just awful appraiser with attitude then your next defense - get the buyer to change to a lender that has a better pool of appraisers on their round robin lists. Be ready for Plan B.

Action speak louder than words.  A foundation for our business - Don't just talk a good talk but actually emply what comes out of your mouth into motion.

We continually get bombarded with the list of Don't do or things to avoid.  To be into positive thinking avoid the Don't Do to just Do.

  DO

• Get up with purpose and a plan each business day.
• Respect your time and put distractions away to when you can conveniently address.
• Prospect - make that a top priority each day - have a plan of action of what touch/task.
• Fit in time to keep updated on industry information by attending office meetings, reading the NAR website news, etc.
• Keep in front of your past clients by continuing to call and send them information.
• Return phone calls and emails.
• Listen before reaction.
• Be thoughtful to others in the way you talk.
• Be professional - from how you dress to how you address others.
• Be on time.
• Reach for your goals and not let setbacks take you off track from this journey.

Be a Doer not a Talker.  You will find that "I can do" attitude will take you towards the outcome of your day and achievement of your goals.  Besides you will just like yourself much better!