agent: Home Ownership Do's and Don'ts - 12/24/07 05:29 AM

Home ownership is in reach more than ever before.
The current buyer's market is presenting more opportunities than we have seen even 3 years ago.
The smart buyer is taking advantage of the market and will reap the benefits of the smart move a few years down the road.
The "Do's and Don'ts" of making the right choice in Home Ownership.
Do:
Hire a Professional Licensed Real-estate agent to open the door of Home Ownership.Create a Personal Budget.Get pre-qualified for a mortgage before starting the search.Pay off as much debt as possible without using the money set aside for your down payment.Check your credit report to determine if … (2 comments)

agent: Blame Game of Life - 12/24/07 03:34 AM
Is the "blame game" part of life with someone you know?
The blame game comes in many forms. It has become easier to point a finger at the many aspects of whats happening in the economy. Meanwhile there are four fingers pointing right back at us.
Blame Games I've heard lately are:
The economy is taking away my buyers.My marriage is suffering because of cash flow.The mortgage industry change has limited the homes I'm able to sell.The President has created this entire mess.I don't get any referrals or leads.Business and life aren't fun any more.My Broker isn't doing enough to promote the company.All I … (4 comments)

agent: Home Buyer's Christmas Poem - 12/21/07 05:06 AM
Buyer's Christmas Poem
'Twas the night before Christmas, and in need of a houseThe buyer was stirring, just a computer and mouse;The thoughts of Dream Home with chimney they dare,In hopes that a Realtor soon would be there;The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of their own rooms danced in their heads;
And mamma in her robe, and I in my perch,Had just logged on to Active Rain to conduct our home search,
When out in the kitchen there arose such a clatter,I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
The rental units plumbing had sprang a big leak,A call to the landlord, he informed me the plumber would be there … (5 comments)

agent: Give a gift to your fellow Real-estate Professional here on Active Rain. - 12/21/07 04:04 AM
It's the season of giving. Now's the time to give your extended Active Rain Family the gift of a "Tip".
Tipping during the Holiday Season is not uncommon. We all give a little monetary or food gift to co-workers, the postman, newspaper delivery person, our favorite server at the restaurant, and now the Real-estate Professional.
Even though my tips to my extended family here on Active Rain don't come in the form of monetary, it does come with sincere gratitude and thankfulness.
My "tips" to you:
Smile and the world will smile with you. Plus it keeps others guessing what you been up to.Treat others as … (2 comments)

agent: Real-estate agents worked to the bones - 12/19/07 05:52 AM
Working yourself to the bones is not uncommon for the Professional Real-estate Agent. It's time to work smarter-not harder! If you are an outside the box thinker and care about the clients well being, read on.
With the influx of homes on the market, the Real-estate Professional has more demands placed on them to locate the right place the buyer will call home.
Many buyers are touring 30+ homes in this buyer's market. Thereby wasting precious time and gas. So how does an agent streamline the touring process?
The simple solution is by utilizing a detailed walk through check list that allows the buyer to refresh … (8 comments)

agent: Stand out from the crowd of Professional Real-estate Agents - 12/17/07 03:44 AM

With the amount of Real-estate Professionals all working towards the same goal of landing listings, buyers and clients  how do you stand out in the crowd?
Today, the Professional has to dare to be different, or risk the fact of appearing to be the same as every other agent they compete against. Look closely at the Sandhill Cranes above, if you had to choose which crane is the top bird, how would you decide?
Would it be the one with it's head held high? Or maybe the one with it's bill down to the water? How about the crane in the center, watching what the others … (2 comments)

agent: Sellers need to spend money to make money before listing. - 12/12/07 05:32 AM
Sellers, by taking the time to invest a little money and time in your home before listing can be repaid with better offers from buyers.
So many times the seller assumes that a buyer can see past the small repairable items within their home. What they don't understand is by taking the additional time to complete these small task in advance, the offers they will receive will be more appropriate to meet their selling price.
A little paint can go along way to spruce up a cold or worn room. It's what the buyers view as they tour the home.
Having scuffed walls or … (6 comments)

agent: Oh to be a House Fly in the Real-estate business. - 12/12/07 04:29 AM
If only we could be a fly on the wall to over hear how a couple approaches the thought pattern on what home to choose when purchasing.
I've always been amazed on the decision process of a couple when looking at homes to buy. Just when I think I knew the thought pattern, pow, a complete turn around in the home they chose to offer on.
I have dealt with couples who were dead set on a two story from the beginning only to purchase a ranch in the end. How do these changes in thought occur over night?
By being a fly (and … (12 comments)

agent: Freebies Galore to help your Real-estate business - 12/12/07 01:46 AM
Freebies Galore
Merry Christmas early.
Here are the freebies Rate A Home provides to the Real-estate Professional to make your business better.
1. Lead generating Wish List that can be added to your web site. The agents, builders and mortgage brokers getting the best results display it on their home page as "Create Your Dream Home Here". You would be the only one receiving any wish list leads generated from your web site. Rate A Home receives none of the wish list generated by your web site, so there's no chance of you losing the lead or competing against 20 other agents for the same client. Therefore, there … (8 comments)

agent: Show me the money! - 12/11/07 06:35 AM
The words for the home buyer is "Show me the money"!
With the lending fiasco in today's market, it's getting to the point that the buyer must bring in a larger down payment to buy the American Dream.
The foreclosure market is dictating these changes while the banks leverage themselves for more protection.
Will the days of zero down be around in a few years? That I'm not sure of and can be better answered by the Mortgage Professionals on Active Rain.
I have been reading blogs and comments where the buyer is responsible for bringing in a six digit down payment on a typical … (2 comments)

agent: Please join me in Welcoming our newest Active Rain Family Members - 12/08/07 05:46 AM
This is my official welcoming page for the newest members to Active Rain.
Please help me in a big resounding WELCOME to our newest Active Rain members.
Our newest member as of 02.26.08: Jean Rampersad (Exit Realty) Jean is a broker in the Warner Robins, GA area.
Kelley Rahilly (Rahilly Group-Coldwell Banker) Kelley is an agent and part of a family Team serving the West Michigan area.
Melissa Southam (Evergreen Northwest) Melissa is an agent located in Kirkland, WA.
Dan Miller (FSBO of Michigan) Dan started a FSBO web site for the East side of Michigan.
Mirzet Alic (Greenridge Realty) Mirzet is an agent located in Kent County, MI. … (21 comments)

agent: The Ultimate Tool for the Ultimate Agent. - 12/07/07 06:11 AM
Allowing your buyer client to make the decision in the largest investment in life shouldn't be approached through emotions.
If you personally are diving into investments in your own 401k or retirement account with utilizing your Professional Investment Brokers "Due Diligence" reports, you may be in for the shock of your life. My guess is your not.
So why would you expect your clients as their Professional, to make that same mistake you wouldn't allow yourself to make with your investment?
Today's Buyer's market has the client touring more homes then ever. This not only adds a tremendous expense with the price of gas, but also … (0 comments)

agent: To be or not to be, a Real Estate agent I ask of thee? - 11/30/07 03:55 AM
(A fun poem for the Real-estate Professional)
To be or not to be a Real-estate agent I ask of thee.
I work a job from 9-5, I wonder how to make it by.
My financial goals are not to high, but still my bank account is dry.
I ponder in my daily life, could a side job as an agent make it right.
Extra income, oh let it be, what do you mean there's extra fees?
You really mean I'm on floor time, my kids in basketball, tip off's at nine.
Now I'm asked to do an open house, last time I did, it was just me and a mouse.
My family … (12 comments)

agent: Is there any good news for the real estate sector out there anywhere? - 11/25/07 07:54 AM
After reading the paper today for the umpteen month in a row, still no positive news for the market.
It's tough enough to get the buying public in a positive mode let alone day after day, month after month they are infiltrated with negative news.
If I would continually tell my children that they are not up to par with the rest of the kids in this world, eventually they will be brain washed into believing me that the facts are true. BTW, the kids are excellent in my eyes (in case they stumble upon my blog.) Grin.
Going back to the buyers, IMHO … (7 comments)

agent: Changing the way your buyers choose. - 11/24/07 07:57 AM
 
Are you still leading buyers to chose the place they will call home purely on emotions?
Purchasing a home becomes (in most cases) the largest investment in life. We wouldn't approach our 401k investments solely on emotions, therefore our buyers should approach the largest investment with the same due diligence approach as we would expect from our investment adviser.
Today, the buyer's due diligence approach can be achieved by the Real-estate Professional providing an online buyers rating program. This will narrow down the decision to the best home or condo that would meet the buyer's needs.
If a couple is purchasing a home together, the choice has to … (2 comments)

agent: Crime Scene turned into Change Scene - 11/23/07 02:59 AM

There has been a crime committed. Who did it?
The crime that occurs daily is allowing the savvy buyer to sidestep the Real-estate professional services. With 80% of the buyer's doing their own homework before ever contacting an agent, it's up to the agent to police the industry.
Innocent until proven guilty. The term we hear in the legal system quite regularly. This term doesn't quite fit the industry. We may think we are innocent in allowing the percentage of buyer's doing the homework to rise each year. In truth we must be pro-active in researching, creating and utilizing any new tools and technology that … (2 comments)

agent: Why should a buyer choose to live in your state? - 11/21/07 06:04 AM
Have you ever stopped to think about you home state and why someone should or would choose to move there?
I have visited all 50 states in this great land we call the USA. I could think of a positive for each state.
But have you ever really stopped to think about what your sales pitch would be if you were asked to market your state as a property for sale?
I for example live in Michigan, my pitch might be:
State of Michigan for sale.
One could enjoy the serene beauty of the many lake shores and beaches that surround this great state. Add the four … (6 comments)

agent: It's that time of year to start setting your 2008 goals. - 11/21/07 05:41 AM
With the holidays approaching fast, now is the time to start pre-planning for next years goals.
Start by writing down a goal for 2008, every day until the year end. As you approach the end of the year you should have a list accumulated that can be ranked by the most important goals to you.
Common goals could be:
Sales goalsTime management GoalsIncome GoalsFamily GoalsGiving GoalsPersonal GoalsDon't procrastinate and wait until December 31.
Because it's not uncommon to set a New Years resolution that we forget about by January 5, put your goals in writing. Write down behind each goal how you plan to meet that … (4 comments)

agent: Buyers and agents are seeing double! - 11/19/07 04:17 AM

No your eyes aren't playing tricks on you! You are seeing double.
More so then ever agents are seeing double these days. With the lack of an organized tool to streamline the buyers tours, agents are spending more energy and fuel cost to tour homes a second and third time.
The rise in homes toured with the amount of property that is on the market is contributing to the wasted return trips. After touring 15-25-50+ homes, you can't expect a buyer to recall what the 1st home toured featured.
The mind boggling expanded tours is adding to the cost of the bottom line that … (2 comments)

agent: Here today, gone to borrow. - 11/17/07 09:28 AM
Having a buyer with a pulse is what we all hope for these days. But, the excuses fly once they have left your office or open house.                                       
"Buyers are liars"is an old saying that always stuck in my memory bank. We see the excitement in their eyes and smile when they are face to face. But then you contact them via phone and the excuses arise such as "We went to get pre-qualified, and I'm unable to obtain financing at this time."
So, you put them on the "contact them in a year list". Problem is, you contact them later only to find out that … (4 comments)