BarbaraJo's Blog

Listing Agent Provides Bottom Line To Get It Sold

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:22:38 -0600

Today I had something happen that has never happened before. A listing agent called to find out what my clients thought of the house they saw yesterday. They loved it, but it was one of 3 that they loved and not the one they were putting an offer on. I had written the contract but they had not signed the offer yet.

About an hour later the same listing agent called back. Her listing was a 'short sale' but only at the beginning phases. She told me if my client would offer 203k it would be enough to pay it off and we could circumvent the short sale process.

This is the first time that this has happened to me! Needless to say, I left a message for my client with this information and am wondering which one they will decide to put the offer in on with this new information (the other home is NOT a short sale and listed at 220k).

The market is picking up and agents are doing their best to make sure homes are moving!

Crystal Beach Florida - Paradise In The Sun

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:45:41 -0600

Crystal Beach, Florida is indeed Paradise in the Sun! I love living here and want to show you another one of the unbelievable homes currently on the market here in fantastic Crystal Beach, Florida!

Located in Point Seaside, Crystal Beach, this home has 9,000 sq feet of living area under the roof. Of that 4,248 sq ft is heated area!

Located at 1062 Point Seaside this 5 bedroom, 5 full bath home is on three floors and has an elevator to make life easier!

Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this home is made for living the Florida lifestyle! Featuring wood flooring that sparkles and plenty of windows and doors so you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Gulf!

The kitchen floors are polished granite! Imagine yourself preparing a meal in this kitchen!!!

And of course, no Florida home could be complete without a pool!

Priced at only $1,400,000. this house is a bargin in any market!

To see this fantastic home or one of the other homes located here in Crystal Beach, Florida give me a call today! You can reach me direct at 727-512-0910 or e-mail me at barbarajo@barbarajo.com.

Fantastic Crystal Beach Florida Homes

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:33:46 -0600

Fantastic Crystal Beach florida does indeed have many wonderful homes! Here are two more of the higher end homes that are currently available here in Crystal Beach.

This magestic home on Mayo St in Point Seaside, Crystal Beach was built in 2009 and is a real work of art! Boasting 12,000 sq ft under the roof - of which 6,950 is heated - this 5 bedroom, 5 bath home has two additional half baths too!

Plenty of room for all of your needs! Naturally there is a wonderful pool and let us not forget the 7 car garage for all of your toys!!!

The views of the Gulf of Mexico are unbelievable as you can see here from the spacious kitchen!

Listed at $3,249,900. this is a home worth every penny of the listing price!

I would love to show you this home or one of the other beautiful homes located here in Crystal Beach, Florida where the sun always shines and the sky is always blue!!!

You can reach me direct at 727-512-0910 or drop an e-mail to barbarajo@barbarajo.com.

Condo, Townhome, House...???? Buyer Tries To Decide

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:55:05 -0600

Condo, townhome, house - what to purchase? That is my buyer's problem. This is a young couple, first time homeowners and looking for a good deal. We have been out looking at condos and townhomes for the last three weeks. They have found a couple they like, but when they look at the monthly association fees they start to worry about the ability to make ends meet down the road. If everyone thought like this the market would be in a much better place today, without all the short sales and REOs we are seeing!

I am pleased that I just got a phone call saying that they have decided to go for a single family home! I think they will be happy with that decision and choosing a home that is NOT in an association that is going to have monthly fees to use a pool or tennis courts or whatever else.

As the young lady put it,"I would rather have a little extra money to put into my house". Good decision! Why can't they all be this practical???

So tomorrow we will be seeing half a dozen homes! I will let you know how things proceed~!

Gotta Love E-Bay

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:31:49 -0600

You really gotta love E-Bay! My granddaughter has a birthday coming up. She is going to be three years old! And like all little girls, she likes to play 'dress up'. So for her birthday I decided to get her some Disney dress-up clothing. Not wanting to pay Disney Store prices, I turned to E-Bay.

For under 40 dollars, including shipping, I was able to procure a Cindarella gown, an Auroa gown (I have no idea what character that is supposed to be), a Belle gown and a Sleeping Beauty gown!!! She will be one pleased little girl!

In addition to that, I have a Cindarella crown and light up wand coming to go with the rest of it!!!

When you are looking for something specific and don't want to pay mall prices, check out E-Bay! It is well worth it!

I will be sure to post photos of the granddaughter in her new outfits in a couple of weeks!!!

Tinker Bell For Halloween

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:44:04 -0600

This year my little granddaughter decided to dress up as Tinker Bell for Halloween. She is going to be three years old this month and is as cute as a button! I just had to share with all of my friends here in ActiveRain!

I don't think any little angel could be cuter than this, but then it is my granddaughter, so perhaps I am prejudice just a little.

This is such a good time for all of us, watching her grow up!

Homes Flying Off The Market

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:38:06 -0600

Homes are flying off the market, or at least that is how it seems right now to some of my clients! They have been waiting to purchase even though I have repeatedly said the market is picking up here in the Clearwater area - now they are finding slim pickings on the homes that meet their specifications -

You would think that it is Christmas in November, homes are moving so fast. Once you take all of the short sales and REOs out of the search the number is drastically reduced and now that more and more people are deciding to purchase, these homes are not staying on the market as long as they used to.

Of course the ones that have been vacant for the last year and are in disrepair are not 'flying off the shelf' but all of those homes that are priced reasonably and in good showing condition are moving.

This is a good thing! We have been waiting for this to happen and now it is here! Christmas in November for all of us in real estate - what could be better?

USGA Changing Rules On Golf Clubs, But Relax, No Need To Worry!

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:24:48 -0600

The USGA is changing the rules on golf clubs, but unless you are one of those professionals we watch on Sunday afternoons on tv, you DON'T need to worry about it!!!

As most of you know, my partner has a golf club business and played in the mini-tour years ago. Well, it seems that the USGA is changing the rules on golf clubs and a lot of golfers are worried about the up-coming changes. Here is what Ron is putting on the website for his business Nomad Golf WRX (www.nomadgolfwrx.com):

"Our pre 2010 wedges will be legal for 99.99% of all golfers. This will be in effect until at least 2014 and may be extended until 2024. Only the Elite Tour Pros will be required to play the 2010 model clubs with the new 2010 "V" grooves. The new 2010 model irons (down to the 5 iron) & wedges may have a reduced spin rate by as much as 50%. For the non-Elite our wedges will become 'State of the Art" as older "U" & Square groove model wedges will not be produced. Watch for more up-dates and links on our web site. This is the first time in golfing history that two sets of USGA and R&A rules will be applied."

So there you have the upcoming changes cut down to a paragraph that at least golfers can understand! For more information be sure to check out Ron's website at www.nomadgolfwrx.com.

Active Rain Blog Photos Not Coming Through

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:36:59 -0600

I started blogging again after a long break this past week and was impressed at how quickly ActiveRain is now downloading to my computer - it was one reason I stopped coming, it was just too frustrating. Well, this morning none of the photos associated with the blogs are downloading! Am I the only one having this problem??

If anyone else out there is having trouble downloading blog photos, please let me know so I don't drop kick my poor laptop!!!

Fabulous CRYSTAL BEACH FLORIDA!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:06:40 -0500

Crystal Beach Florida is fabulous indeed and not just because I live there! This wonderful community located directly on the Gulf of Mexico in north Pinellas County has no traffic lights, congestion or mail delivery! Yes, I did say no mail delivery! There are NO mailboxes in front of any of the homes in Crystal Beach! Every household has a PO Box in our little post office where we go to get our mail!!!

But don't underestimate Crystal Beach! We have some fantastic homes here too! Like this on:

Located at 511 North Mayo Street, this wonderful Key West style home has 3,444 sq ft. With 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms on three floors, this lovely home has a Gulf front view and a great spa and pool where you can lounge around all day!

If you would like more information on this home, which is currently on the market for $2,300,000. just give me a call at 727-512-0910! I would love to show it to you!!!

Or, if you prefer something like this one:

Located at 1050 Point Seaside in Crystal Beach, this home is 5,004 sq ft and has 4 bedrooms with 5.5 bathrooms. Built in 1992, this home boasts wood flooring, a wrought iron staircase and a chef kitchen to die for!!! This is listed in the MLS for $1,785,000.

If you would like more information on fabulous Crystal Beach Florida, give me a call today at 727-512-0910! Crystal Beach is one of the best kept secrets in the area! Just across Alt 19 from Palm Harbor and a little north of Clearwater, you are minutes from schools, stores and shopping and yet in a little bit of paradise!!!

Do You Remember Past Clients???

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:58:26 -0500

When I ask if you remember past clients, I don't mean remember them by clogging their e-mail and snail mail boxes with advertisments that nobody wants to get. Here is a better way to remember them and get some referral business at the same time:

Keep a list of those clients (this is great news for you Newbies) in a data base with the date they closed on their residence. Then every year on that day send them a little notecard to celebrate and enclose a $10. Starbucks (or some other coffee house) card and half a dozen of your business cards. They will love you for that! Remember to mention in your card that you would appreciate a referral if they know anyone thinking of purchasing or selling!

In addition, on a rotating basis, every week (or biweekly or monthly depending on the number of clients in your sold data base and how you personally want to do it) send 5 or 10 clients a 'thinking of you' notecard, letting them know you enjoyed working with them, hope all is well and would appreciate a referral to anyone they know that is planning on buying or selling a home!

You will be amazed by the number of referrals that start coming in! Over time you don't need to advertise as much, since you are getting clients from your previous clients!!!

It sure beats paying big bucks for fliers that nobody reads anyway or clogging somebody's inbox with spam that they will hate you for!!!!

Remember Those Holiday E-mails

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:39:30 -0500

As the holidays approach and you are making plans for all the things you want to do, remember to send all of your clients past, present and future, good wishes for Thanksgiving and then in December a general greeting for the Holidays!

While you are compiling your list, remember that we only celebrate Thanksgiving here in the States and that Canada is not part of the celebration. I remember one year when a colleague sent Thanksgiving greetings to all of his Canadian clients...oops!

And in December, remember that not everyone celebrates Christmas and some people might find it offensive to get a Christmas greeting rather than a general holiday greeting.

These are things to start thinking of and planning for now!

What Do You Mean It Is Senior Housing????

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:34:21 -0500

Here is something I run across all the time: I go to show a property and while I have the listing agent on the phone, I generally ask if this is senior housing. So many times they say 'why yes, did I forget to put that in the MLS'?

PLEASE put vital information like that into the MLS folks! Here in Florida there are so many communities and not just condo communities, but single family housing communities as well, that are 55+ only. It just makes life so much easier if ALL the information is in the MLS.

I did not know a particular house was in one of those communities, showed the place, my client loved it and then we had to move on when I went to write the offer and found out that it was 55+. What a waste of time for all concerned!

Do us all a favor, put it in the MLS!!!

Obama, HRC and My Son!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:22:17 -0500

Well, I had to comment on Obama passing the long overdue Hate Crimes Bill! That is something that is near and dear to my heart and I had to mention it here in the Rain. I know my son, Sascha, who works for HRC in Washington, DC, has been vocal and active on this topic and I support him and HRC!

By the way, here is Sascha at their convention last Fall:

He was also in Orlando assisting in getting the vote out for Obama before the Fall election! We are finally coming full circle in this country and learning that Equality is for Everyone!!! I am pleased to see Obama keeping his promise in this area!

Remember To Watch That Business Card Stack!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:04:02 -0500

Sounds like a silly reminder, but there is a reason for it! I thought I had a reserve stack of business cards and since I am down to about a dozen cards, went to find that reserve stack only to find out it is GONE!!! I am guessing that I picked it up and forgot to reorder, so now the rush is on to get my order delivered! I just re-ordered via the internet and paid for expedited delivery - had I been careful I could have saved that delivery charge - remember to watch your stack of business cards and don't get caught short, like I just did!!!

Be Careful On REOs!!!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:56:20 -0500

There were many titles to give this post, but most would be inappropriate for this website! This is how I got shafted on my commission by the bank on a foreclosed condo. I have dealt with this particular listing group before and the last closing dragged on an additional 3 months due to trouble getting a clean title. OK, that can happen, but after this last closing, I know one company whose listings I refuse to show anymore!

The MLS said 5% commission on each side and since the condo was for just under 50k, I could understand why it was 5%. My buyer was paying cash and wiring the funds in from Canada which happens often since many of my buyers are Canadian.

But there were a couple of things going on that I was unaware of until the closing. The closing took place in Texas! The property is in Clearwater, Florida. Why Texas??? Well, that is where the bank that had the property was located.

As usual, I called the title company to make sure all figures were correct and we agreed.....until the HUD was e-mailed to me to preview. Suddenly the max commission was $1000!!! I called and said there was something wrong and even e-mailed a copy of the MLS. They could not have cared less - there was a paper that the listing agent/company did not mention or put into the MLS that stated max commission was $1000. (However, the HUD also showed the listing agent getting a BONUS commission on top of that grand).

I called my broker who called the title company - in the end there was nothing we could do because it closed out of state!!!!! I learned a valuable lesson and want to share that so you don't have that happen to you.

These REOs and short sales take more time and are a lot more work. To then get shafted on the commission makes me really upset! And that the listing agent was aware of everything and he got a bonus was like the icing on the cake! BEWARE of being taken on a REO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The company that did the listing is a national company with offices everywhere, so this was not some little office that was involved!

Baby's First Time In Germany

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:32:49 -0500

This summer my daughter and granddaughter went to Germany for a month. It was the first time that little Aubrey had been out of the country and she was excited that she was going to get to meet her Opa (Grandpa) in Germany face to face. He was here when she was born and they SKYP (I think that is what it is called, using the camera and computer to talk and see each other) on Sundays, but now she was crossing the Atlantic to meet all of her German relatives!!!

She had a wonderful time in Germany with her Opa, helping in the garden, going for walks in northern Bavaria and getting to know the rest of the family!!!

I have a feeling the Opa will be visiting his granddaughter next Spring! Having grandkids is such a joy!!!

Tinker Bell

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:25:58 -0500

Well, I just can't bring all my ActiveRain friends up-to-date without sharing the story of Tinker Bell. As most of you know, I have a fantastic Granddaughter who will turn 3 in November. A couple of weeks ago she was home sick and had to go to the doctor. I was the one to take her there and it just so happens that the day before I had purchased a Tinker Bell outfit for her to play dress-up in!

Needless to say, she walked into the doctor's office to have her cough checked dressed up like....you got it, Tinker Bell!!! And she said to the doctor "I Tinker Bell" in her cute little voice!!!

These are the things that make life worth living!!!! I had to share!!!

Mike From Tucson Brought Me Back!!!

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:05:26 -0500

Yes, Mike fromTucson brought me back to ActiveRain!!! I had wondered to Facebook and was spending WAY TOO MUCH time in there when I was not out with clients, preparing to go out with clients or working on the internet leads I had. But FACEBOOK had indeed led me astray!!!

THANK YOU Mike in Tucson, for that reminder that this is my home and the place I need to be spending any extra time. Wondering through FACEBOOK will not bring in leads as ActiveRain will. And this was confirmed again last week by a couple that called me because of my blogs HERE in ActiveRain!!!

Gotta stay in the Rain, Barb, gotta stay in the Rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My new mantra!!!!

Pinellas County Teachers Return To The Classroom In Two Weeks!

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:04:07 -0500

Pinellas County Teachers Return To The Classroom In Two Weeks - where has the summer gone? It is hard to believe that the summer is coming to an end so quickly. Soon we will be dealing with school buses in early morning traffic.....something I do not miss!

It is also time for parents to be getting their children ready for the new school year. Those who were planning on relocating during summer vacation have lost the chance if they are attending Florida schools and have not already put in an offer on a home.

While schools don't go back until September up North, here in the Sunshine State we are about to begin the new school year!!!

Do You Work Short Sales?

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:00:07 -0500

This one is always interesting....Do You Work Short Sales? I used to work them all the time. Now I only work one if a client insists, but first I explain in detail all of the negative aspects of wasting time on putting in short sale offers that often do not turn into closings. Most people are not aware of what a short sale is and assume (incorrectly) that the name implies that these will be quick closings.

Once most people hear the in's and out's of short sales they want to move on to a regular listing. Most of the other realtors I know feel as I do about short sales and also attempt to avoid them. It is as if the banks are in no hurry to close these things and I would like to spend my time getting homes closed for my clients.

So tell me, Do You Work Short Sales?

Yesterday I Was At The Water Park With My Granddaughter

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:53:57 -0500

Yesterday I was at the water park in Oldsmar with my daughter and granddaughter. It was the first time that I had been there and was extra special since I was there with my two favorite girls!

It is amazing, how Aubrey has grown. She will be 3 in November and her vocabulary amazes me each time I see her. She is the love of my life and really a wonderfully behaved little girl.

I am also at the point in my life when I can appreciate the idea of spoiling grandchildren and then taking them home to their parents! :-) Paybacks are great!!!!

Living With A Golf Pro Has It's Advantages

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:49:08 -0500

Living with a golf pro has it's advantages! Not only do I get free golf lessons, this week I had a couple of custom clubs made for me as a surprise!!!

Ron came home with a cute little putter for me and a new wedge. Since I don't own my own clubs (or at least did not until now) I have always used his to practice. Now that this learning is going to a new phase he figured I need my own.................living with a golf pro definitely has it's advantages!!!!

Sunday - Ron's Day

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:45:12 -0500

Today is Sunday, Ron's Day!!! It is the one day a week that I try to keep private! Ron's Day! We usually go fishing on Sundays - just the two of us and the ocean that we both love so dearly! But that was not the case today......yesterday evening we were at the driving range for a couple of hours and did not get home until it was already getting dark.

By the time we showered and had a snack for dinner, we just about fell into bed and managed to sleep late today....so no fishing today. Instead we ran errands together and had lunch out. Now it is time for golf on tv.

Another wonderful day with Ron............the love of my life!!!

So Many Homes....But It Must Have AT LEAST Three Bathrooms

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:35:42 -0500

I am currently dealing with a lovely couple that are from outside of the States. They are looking for the perfect retirement home, but it HAS TO HAVE at least 3 bathrooms.............that sure narrows the playing field down!!! And, of course, it has to be up-to-date with granite in the kitchen and bathrooms, in a fantastic community and not cost over a half a million............the good thing is that I was able to come up with almost 3 dozen that fit the bill!!!

Hopefully this will lead to a contract this week! Will keep you posted!!!