Emily's Blog

Advise Requested, Please

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:49:56 -0600

I have a friend interested in becoming a stager. She's not currently in the business but she has a degree in interior design. On-line, she's found ASP and ISHP. What do staging professionals suggest? She lives in Washington State. I told her I'd contact the pros at AR to get some advise...If you have thoughts, please share. Thank you!

Take And Give Good Care,

Emily Cross

Wrapping it up - Keep Christmas Green

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:35:34 -0600

As we rapidly approach the holiday season, I ask that we all remember, and remind our clients, how to have a happy and festive eco-friendly year-end.

Some Tips:

1. If you have small children or children who enjoy crafts, get large sheets of Kraft paper (100% recycled) or old packaging paper and color or paint or stencil or stamp or whatever - relatives will LOVE the hand-made paper from their favorite little people; instead of using wrapping paper AND coloring/Kraft paper - combine the two!

2. Re-use last year's materials, if you still have them, and if not, save this year's for next year!

3. Use wrapping paper to wrap up your fragile ornaments when packing up the tree.

4. Recycle your Christmas tree when you're done with it. Don't put it in a land-fill!

5. Send out E-Christmas Cards instead of paper ones (save the environment AND your pocket book:))

6. Limit the amount of lights you put out and how frequently you leave them on.

7. When you go shopping, bring your own re-usable shopping bags.

8. Looking for the perfect gift for the person who has everything??? Low on your Christmas budget??? For $6, you can buy a tree on someone's behalf through the Arbor Day Foundation. Plant a forest, if you want:)!

According to RealSimple, in the United States:

1. Household waste increases by 25% (!!!) between Thanksgiving and New Years.

2. Trash from wrapping paper and shopping bags totals 4 MILLION TONS during the holidays!

3. The US Postal Service delivers 20 BILLION cards and packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas. SEND E-CARDS instead!

There are many other ideas out there - let's share them and make this month, a green month:)

Emily

Help - I need DATA!

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:41:01 -0600

Hello Professional Stagers!

I am a realtor in Bellingham Washington and about to list a big, beautiful (but EMPTY) spec house! I really want the seller to stage it but he works well with numbers. Do any of you have data that shows 1: How much faster a staged home vs. not a staged home sells and 2: Whether or not staged homes make more money in the end? (Yes, I realize market time is often related to final price but in addition to that...)

Any help you can give is much, much appreciated!!!

Thanks

Emily

A Realtor Gone Green!

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 11:54:34 -0500

Last night, my husband and I watched a You-Tube video about the "Al Gore" debate and the reporter stated that we don't really know if it's a problem that there's global warming and we don't really know if it's humans to blame....Hmmm. Well, I'm not a scientist and I certainly don't care to debate the finer points of the influence of humans on Earth, environmentalism or the future of the Earth...But, I do know this. We are living in a society of consumerism! We live in a society where bigger is better, newer is brighter, and packaging sells. I do know that there are a lot of trees cut down, oil burned, a lot of toxins dumped into our water and ground, a lot of water wasted, and a lot of trash created. And, I don't care what your point of view is; how can that be good???! It just seems to me that if we all treat our environment - local and global - with respect and honor, that if we all choose to live responsibly, well it just makes sense and you don't have to agree, or disagree, with the political and scientific debate that is unravelling.

I've blogged about this before and so forgive me if you're bored but real estate is NOT a "green" industry in any way, shape or form. It drives me crazy how many sheets of bright white paper we use, business cards, contracts, flyers, vinyl signs etc. etc. etc. The National Association of Realtors, to which I proudly belong, is one of the most powerful PAC's in the Nation and I would love to see them embrace the "greener" side of life. But, I am just me...just little Emily in Blaine Washington...and, as my former business partner used to say, I can only make a difference in my own little "puddle." So, that's what I'm going to do...

I have all of my pretty bleached white paper, bright white vinyl binders, plastic tab dividers etc. loaded up in to my car and ready to be returned to Office Depot (sorry office depot - it's not personal - you guys are great). I have ordered reams of 100% post consumer paper from Bison Bookbinding in Bellingham. I have ordered 100% post consumer binders, dividers and notebooks from SustainableGroup.Net in Seattle.

These little things seem so simple, yet it took me quite a while to figure it out...You don't have to be a "tree hugger" or a "hippie" to respect our environment. I mean, it just makes sense, right? I feel so good about my decision to buy smart. Am I perfectly green? Well, no! Not even close but I'm trying - I'm open to suggestions - I want to do well by my planet...After all I have two young sons who will inherrit the earth I care for.

Comments? Suggestions? Thoughts?

Please share. After all, it's our roots we're talkin' about!
-Emily Cross

Let The Light Shine In...The Truth About Washington Real Estate

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:04:59 -0500

Boy, the national media sure has a way of making a "doomsday" event of the current real estate market! As some of you may have seen, the National Association of Realtors is fed up with the negative, and usually false, reports of the current market. They are launching a marketing campaign entitled, "Get the Facts" and I thought I'd give a bit of insight on our local market...First, though, let it be known that in no way does this mitigate or lessen the pain felt by those in bad markets. In no way does it suggest that there aren't local residents who were negatively affected by the unscrupulous lending practices of the last few years, who haven't felt a loss, and been forced into very painful and unfortunate circumstances. I've worked with some of you who have personally walked through the sub-prime and fraudulent loan fire...But, the generalizations are what I am addressing today.

First, the hard facts: Less than 6% of all loans originated in the state of Washington are sub-prime (The national average is about 20%). According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the current foreclosure rate for the state of WA is .49% while nationally, it is 1.4%. In fact, WA is currently in slightly better shape than it was 10 years ago! (Nationally, the foreclosure rate is up from 10 years ago). Nationally, Washington is currently ranked 47 of 50 in delinquent loans and 49 of 50 in foreclosure rates.

So, where is all of the bad news coming from? Certainly they aren't just making it up....

There are three problems, as I see it, with the way in which the media is reporting the news.

Many media groups are getting their data from Foreclosure Listing web sites. According to NAR, the data provided by these sites has drawn criticism because their process of tracking foreclosures takes into account several steps in the process and homes in foreclosure could end up being counted more than once. Further, not all of these homes actually end up in foreclosure.
The states most negatively impacted by the current "crisis" are Nevada, Florida, Arizona and California. The data from those states, when applied to a national average, obviously skew the national truth (if you will). According to Doug Duncan, MBA's Chief Economist, "The problems in these states will continue, and they will continue to drive the national numbers, but they do not represent a national problem." Enough Said!
The media has a way of mis-interpreting the statistics and numbers. When I was in college, I took a math class called "How To Lie Using Statistics" and I'll never forget it! It was as entertaining as the title makes it sound. So, when you read these articles, think about them. Perhaps marketing time is up, but home values are too. Perhaps there are more price reductions but the final sales price is up....You, see, there are so many ways to think about it!

Think about Washington - It is a lovely place to call home in so many ways! We have jobs, we have housing, we have beauty, we have good schools, we have a mild climate - there is so much here! I feel that my real estate investment is in a good, solid place. I LIKE owning property here and I hope you do, too. It's a great time to own; it's a great time to buy!

Water those real estate roots!

-Emily

Jason Overstreet Has My Vote

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:59:44 -0500

As many of you know, I live in Blaine, Washington. Not only do I live in Blaine, but I LOVE Blaine! The other night, my husband and I were cleaning up after dinner and there was a knock at the door - not unusual with the rush of school fundraisers this time of year...My husband answered the door, talked for a while, and came back in. When I asked who was at the door, he said, "Jason Overstreet; the guy running for the City Counsel" (for those of you not from the area - it's a very contested position) but before he could finish his sentence, I was out of the house trying to get Jason's attention and ask him some questions. He and his wife were "pounding the pavement" and turned around when they realized I wanted to talk...Not only did Jason and his wife listen to me (actively - you know, like ASKING questions and making notes!) but then I got a call from Jason a few days later..."Not sure if you remember me, but..." Well of course I remember you! He had been emailing the "powers that be" do get answers to my concerns and he emailed me the correspondence. Jason - never once (and I've lived a lot of places) has someone seeking a political office EVER done what you did! You LISTENED! You CARED! You COMMUNICATED! To sum it up, You ROCK! Remember folks, Democracy is all about the leaders listening to the masses...Well, Jason Overstreet, congratulations - you did it! Thanks, Jason, for laying down roots for a successful future in Blaine, WA!

-Emily Cross

Why I'm NOT always available!

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:53:47 -0500

Well, this is why! My family is the number one, most important thing in my life. I work for them - I love my work...but I love my family more! (phew:)). If I know that an important and urgent call is coming in, I will warn my kiddos that I will have to "talk on the phone for work" for a little bit that night but I won't make a habit of it. When I first started in this business, I read a book about how easy it can be to let real estate run your life. After all, it's commission based. Sell while you can, right! But at what expense? Anyway - the book said, "Wherever you are - be there!" I like that advise and I try to stick to it. What does that mean for my clients? Go ahead and call! If I don't answer, you know I'm with my family so leave a message and I'll call you back. Also, after they go to bed, I work on email so that is a fabulous way to find me! It's not that I'm unavailable or not concerned about your needs as a client; it just means that I have to balance my priorities (don't we all?). When I'm at my office - I'm just that...at my office working. And, when I'm at home - I'm just that...at HOME. So, no, I'm not the Realtor who is available 24/7 - and if that's what you need, please let me know and I can help you find that person because "always, undconditionally available" is one thing I am not:) Love those roots!!! -Emily

Evolving with Denise Lones

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:47:58 -0500

Have you heard of Denise Lones? Well, if not - you should find out about her! She is a real estate guru - truly a master of the industry. She owns a real esate coaching and marketing company, locally here in Bellingham, but operates on both a local and national, if not global, level (just look at the work she does for Zebras - definitely on a global scale)!. Every year, she offers coaching programs. This year, 2008, is her BIGGEST one yet; it's called EVOLVE and yours truly is going to be a part of it! My family and I are so excited for this! Watch me go from "me" to the "me I want to (and can) be!" This group of 20 agents will have their "before's" documented, as well as their "after's". Trials, tribulations, strenghts, weeknesses - it's sort of like reality TV for Realtors...only not so, well you know...staged.

I'll be blogging about it in the months to come - stay tuned - it will be fabulously fun, entertaining, humbling and educational (for me!) Talk about roots - big, fat, deep and healthy roots. Oh, yeah, baby! :)

To healthy, well-adjusted roots!
-Emily

Alphabet Soup!

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:44:25 -0500

Before I got in to this business, I had NO idea what all those letters meant after a Realtor's name. As a matter of fact, even when I entered the business, I had no idea. I figured it represented education, achievement, success etc but didn't know much more than that. So, here's information on one of them!

I recently earned my GRI - it's a Realtor designation that means Graduate of the Realtor Institue and is a 90 clock hour series of classes and exams. One of my goals this year was to earn both my ABR and my GRI - and I did it! (ABR stands for Accredited Buyers Representative). You see, I think of real estate like a big beautiful tree - the stronger and more firm your roots, the more you able to grow. I equate "roots" to education, knowledge, and experience. For my clients, "roots" may mean a variety of things - opportunity, foundation, family, home-business, HOME OWNERSHIP, land that is THEIRS...Together, my clients and I, and my family and I, grow the Emily M Cross Real Estate Tree. Each one of you has added a branch, a flower, a leaf, or a root. Each class I've taken and conversation I've had has added something to my "tree." It's one reason I LOVE the blog! It's an avenue for idea sharing, experience sharing, knowledge sharing and it's a place where people can feel comfortable expressing themselves...Next year, my goal is to obtain my CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), the most prestigious of all Realtor designations. In the mean time, I will continue to educate myself on the growing nuances of real estate. If you have anything to offer - please do! -Emily "Helping Others Put Down Roots...For Life."

Folks NOT in the "national real estate crisis" - what are you doing to combat the perception?

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:46:39 -0500

Like this picture, it seems to me that the media portrays real estate in sort of a random aray of colors creating something that looks good to the eye of the viewer (as they see it). Now, don't get me wrong; I understand that there are plenty of markets that have been hit hard by a loss of jobs, falling home values, bad press, the sub-prime and fraudulent loans gone bad, and general bad luck (do economists believe in "bad luck?" - probably not!) But I am working in a GOOD market - prices aren't increasing at 20% a year (which I think is a GOOD thing) but they aren't plumeting either...Interest rates are good, historically...homes are selling (yes, with a longer market time but that's OK) and yet folks aren't buying! Why? The national media! So, what are you all doing to combat the image? If your living in an area like me, what do you tell your clients who are listing to the national media (who must be smarter than little realtor-me, right?) Seriously!

Branching out on my own...away from a team...in my own direction.

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:36:32 -0500

I have recently branched out on my own and am so excited...Selling real estate is oh-so-fun and I've re-framed some of my business models to fit with my ethics and morals - so if you know from before - watch for changes currently in the works.

New Paradigm One: Creating a way to effectively work in this business while mainting respect for, and stuardship of, the environment. The amount of paper we go through - business cards, flyers, mailers, contracts, information books etc. is so sad! Whatever happened to the paperless office?? Well, I can tell you that it hasn't found MY office! So, instead, I am converting all of my material to either hand-made paper and/or post-consumer paper and soy-based ink using a local company (cut down carbon emmissions) which embodies Bellingham - local, environmental, creative, FUN and unique! This is only one small way in which I will look to alter my business practices and if anyone has suggestions - send them my way!

New Paradigm Two: While this was a philosophy of mine before, it will now be a cornerstone of my business: I WILL NOT PRACTICE DUAL AGENCY! For those of you who don't know what that means, I will not represent both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction...I just won't do it! It's totally legal, and agents like doing it (double the money) but it's not in the best interest of my clients. What does that mean for sellers - Isn't my job to SELL their home? Well, yes, and I will work hard to procure a buyer but I will refer them to another agent if they wish to make an offer. I'm a firm believer that this philosophy allows for the greatest protection of my clients, while allowing me to do the job I wish to do.

New Paradigm Three: My new business cards will likely NOT have my photo...Hmmm - a Realtor without a picture of themselves??? The reason behind this is two-fold: One - in order to utilize the handmade papers and soy-ink press, I can't have gradient images (i.e. pictures) and Two - The idea of being "hired" or not based in part on my picture is, well, odd. In the US, real estate is the only industry I can think of where puting your picture on your business card is considered normal. This is an experiment - we'll see if it works - but I sure hope it does!

Watch for my new business cards, web-site and information.

Putting Down Roots...
-Emily Cross

Newbie - guidance anyone???

Emily Cross (The Muljat Group) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:07:45 -0500

So, how exactly does this work the best? Should I join a lot of groups? I blog on Blogger.com - is it possible to turn that in to an RSS feed on Active Rain? How do people find it to be the most efficient and effective? WooHooo!

Planting roots for success!

-Emily