How to sell your home in a buyers market - 02/29/08 12:57 PM
Ok, you opened this blog to read it because you want the truth right?  Well then here are your most important 3 keys to selling your home in today's buyer's market.  Get a pen ready and whatever you do please remember that ignoring this advice may cost you thousands of dollars.
Step 1
Wake UP and THROW AWAY THAT APPRAISAL!!  That's exactly right.  It's time to wake up and realize what the market is.  If you have cut an artery you will lose a lot of blood if you treat it like a cat scratch.  This market is NOT the market we had 2 … (0 comments)

back to blogging - Incredible Buys are Back Again - 02/29/08 12:56 PM
Well I’ve been showing a lot of houses in the last 2 weeks and one thing I have learned first hand is that incredible buys are back again! I have been working almost exclusively with 3 first time buyers this week and the price ranges they could afford would have been hopeless just a year ago.
The first buyer is looking for a home under $140k??? Are you kidding that’s a pipe dream… or at least it was in the past. Today we are finding nicely finished 750-800 sq.ft. homes with garages for this price.
The second buyer is looking in … (0 comments)

First Time Target… eh, heh.. I mean First Time Buyer - 02/26/08 12:14 PM
I received a phone call off of one of my listings from a first time home buyer and went out today to meet her at the home that she called about.  It was a stark reminder that first time home buyers and probably most home buyers are in a very vulnerable position out there.
There is just enough text book style information available online and in magazines to make a buyer feel like they are either comfortable that they know what's going on or are so overwhelmed that they tend to ask less questions and don't verify the answers that they get. 
We were looking … (1 comments)

Beyond Selling and Buying - How your move can change a life for the better… - 02/26/08 12:14 PM
Absolutely incredible and life changing.  I went to a speech today by Seth Godin.  He is one of the greatest marketing minds in our lifetime.  Amazing because I learned a new concept that will take me out of the real estate business and into the business of making lives better and it will give you the opportunity to join me in the process.
What was so life changing was the concept of building your business on a story and not just a service.  Having clients buy into your purpose rather than just your product. Hallelujah for me.  What a joy and relief.  What … (1 comments)

First Time Home Buyers - dazed and confused - 02/26/08 12:13 PM
Attention first time buyers!!  The thought of buying your first home may have you utterly overwhelmed so I am going to share one of the most important tips you need to hear if you want to take the stress out of buying your first home.
Believe it or not..... one of the most important things you need to know is that you should:
Not look at more then 10-15 homes maximum before you buy.  Say what?  Yes, you read correctly.  Just because there are hundreds of homes on the market does not mean you will benefit by driving aroud and going through them all. 
What would … (0 comments)

Negotiating in Real Estate: has anyone seen my fridge?? - 02/26/08 12:12 PM
Everyone has a story of being pressured by a car salesman, haggled at a garge sale, nagged by a child, or possibly manipulated by a spouse and all of those things are all samples of negotiating that are easy to spot.  While the thought of these may make you a little uncomfortable the real thing that can hurt you is buying or selling a home with a true master negotiator.
 The aggressive over bearing negotiator at the car lot may be intimidating but not the most dangerous to your finances or future.  A true master negotiator does not have a negotiating skill, … (0 comments)

Let’s talk about for sale by owner - (FSBO)… - 02/26/08 12:10 PM
Did you know that over 80% of buyers use a real estate agent to buy there home? That's a pretty high number and it should be a real red flag to anyone who is thinking about trying for sale by owner.
How can they possibly sell their home for the most amount of money when they are missing a huge portion of potential buyers, and the basic law of supply and demand says that the more buyers that are looking for what they have the more they can sell it for.
The statistics bear this out because FSBO homes average a significantly lower sales price, over 10% less then … (0 comments)

Things I’ve learned that can benefit you too… - 02/26/08 12:09 PM
I am currently in Atlanta and I had the opportunity to attend a 2 hour session called Quantum Leap by Gary Keller.  Gary is the founder of the entire Keller Williams Company and these are some great points I learned from one of the great real estate and business minds in the world:
You will either fail your way to success or you will simply fail.  Failure is part of the formula you cannot avoid it, period. Get your planner out and do this: Schedule in your vacation/family/play time out for the whole year and then schedule your work into your calendar … (0 comments)

Be who you are and the business will follow - 02/26/08 12:05 PM
I recorded a new voicemail a couple of weeks ago that quotes a Bible verse "the hand of the diligent will succeed."  Of course the common idea in business these days is that you shouldn't show your faith to anyone because it may cost you business.  I don't go by that thinking because I am not looking to win an election or to do the highest amount of sales at any cost.
I am a christian believer in Jesus because I was once a wretched person and He saved and changed me into a new person (read my story at http://www.awretchnomore.com/ ).  So business … (1 comments)

The most unusual landmark in Vancouver.. - 02/26/08 12:04 PM
I would have to say that the most unusual landmark I've seen in Vancouver is the Igloo restaraunt on Evergreen Blvd, just east of Grand.  This is a little diner style restaraunt that has been completely plated in chrome?!? 
Who knows where that brain storm came from.. even the inside is plated in chrome.  When I was a kid "chrome plated" meant something was pretty sweet.  The funny thing is that as an adult "chrome plated" still means something is pretty sweet.
This little diner is in a horrible location for getting business traffic so I feel kinda sorry for them in the … (1 comments)

Why I blog and why you’ll enjoy reading… - 02/26/08 12:01 PM
Welcome to my blog.  I thought I'd start by telling you why I have started this blog and why I think you will benefit from it.  I decided to write a blog first of all because it is a cheap way to market to you and hopefully gain your confidence and business.  Sound a little forward?  Yeah, it probably is but this blog is going to be about honesty and about treating you like the intelligent person you are and that means that you will be able to expect honesty from me on everything. 
That brings me to the second reason I … (1 comments)

 
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Andy Elliott

Vancouver, WA

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An honest look at issues facing home buyers, sellers, first time buyers, investors, & my experiences in real estate.


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