I remember six or so months ago when you would take a look at a house and know that the price was high and you could underbid. Not so, not lately. I have noticed in the last few months that if you want a house-a nice house in a good neighborhood in Southern California you have to be ready to overbid and be ready to fight.

I have seen a lot more "One Day" sales where the selling agent shows the house for one day then makes a decision that night, the next or within the week. It's effective and you get an answer right away which is much better than waiting that ambigious four or five months, but it means you have to be prepared.

I always have suggested my clients get their pre-qualification letter but now, I suggest a pre-approval. When we see a house I do a comparative analysis so I know if the house is priced low. I want to prepare my clients so they know that even if they are willing to come in full price, they still may not get the house and if they really want the house they have to be willing to overbid.

So yes, it looks like a different marked. Have any of you experieced similiar situations.?

 

Not everyone has GPS and so we have to rely on internet driving directions. I have been burned by Mapquest and so my site of choice is Google maps. Now don’t get me wrong, Google has let me astray too. There are pros and cons to every mapping site. Here are the most popular:
MapQuest
Ask.com
Google Maps
Yahoo Maps
Rand McNally
Google and Ask.com offer the option of mapping more than one property at a time so you can create a route when showing houses. Map Quest has a gas prices icon right on the top menu bar that will search for the best gas or diesel prices anywhere in the US. All in all, google is still my preferred choice. Which do you use and why?

Email is now part of the daily routine. We email for work and for fun. You can change any email account (web based or not) to include a signature. This signature would be included in every one of your emails. I always put my name comma title and undeneath that line my phone number and then the URL for my webpage. You can connect it to your page or even your blog. Think about how many emails you send even on topics unrelated to email and even those forwards (as long as you dont send to many), your webpage could sent easily to hundreds of people with the click of a send button. I sometimes click on a friend's link at the bottom of their email just to see what they do, or what they are up to. I even click to see what people I don't know do. If they sent me an email, they are a possible client...

Respectfully,

Josh Beckman, Realor www.joshbeckman.com

I don't know about you but in order to streamline things I have a "Open House Kit". It's almost everything I need for an open house and I put it in one of those small rolling suitcases. I have pens, sign in sheets, a clipboard, extra copies of my business card, a calculator, tape, air freshner (you never know when a house is going to smell), a flashlight, extra batteries, and some office supplies.

Also if I, or another realtor in my office have a property nearby I come with a stack of directions from my open house to the other house. I don't leave them out, but have them handy if I think a client is going to like them better. It's easier than writing out directions every time and helpful if I can't remember the address or directions.

I learned an important lesson at a recent Open House. It has been hotter than hot lately in California. I went to do an open house without water. With average daily temperatures over 100 degrees I will never make that mistake again.

DON'T forget to bring water! Offer water and even popciles or ice cream as a way to beat the heat. Show potential clients that you had them in mind even before they had you in mind.

Good Luck!

I have noticed something. My clients who are loyal are the ones i have relationships with. I try to have relationships with all my client, but it takes time to build a relationship with those who only email. I try to call or meet clients as soon as possible. I want my clients to know I will listen to them and I actually care. So these are my suggestions to you if you are trying to build more client relationships:

1. Meet as soon as possible. 

2. When you meet, smile and be on time.

3. Do some research befroe you get there, just to get the ball rolling.

4. Don't waste time but ask about the client's family. They have to be happy too if they are living in the house. Most times an unhappy spouse and some times an unhappy child can kill a deal.

5. Follow up immediately. Do what you say you are going to do and continue to follow up. Remind your client that you are working for them.

6. Explain what you are doing. When people understand what you are doing, they know you are working for them and will trust you more.

7. Be willing to share your professional expertise. I had a client who wanted to move into a bad area. I knew it was out of desperation, she did not think she could afford anything. One of the reasons she was moving was because she wanted her son to live in a better neighborhood. She could afford the house, she wanted the house but I had to speak up. I told her I would do what she wanted but this wasn't the best area for her son. In a week we found a MUCH better home and area.

What do you do to build good client relationships?

There is so much to do in Orange County, especially during the summer. I thought I would share some of the local flavor with you. I will begin with The Sawdust Festival which is an annual event in Laugna Beach. This year it will be held June 27th-August 31st 2008.
This summer will actually be the 42nd Annual Summer Show at the Sawdust Art Festival. Over 200 artists will have their artwork on display in Laguna Beach. Its a great chance to view work by local artists. They even offer classes so you can try your hand at being creative. Admission is $7 for adults.
Here is a coupon for $1 off admission There will be food and entertainment by local artist. I am looking forward to going this year.

I just finished reading a great book, The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews. It was a great book, a short read with a lot of valuable and timeless lessons for life and for real estate. So, I thought I would share five reads (that have something to do with real estate). In random order: 1. The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews 2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 3. You can’t teach a kid to write a bike at a seminar by David Sandler 4. The Path by Laurie Beth Jones 5. The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner by David Bach Share your top book or books. Any that have helped you professionally. And personally, my favorite book is The Secret of the Box by Maryann Costa (my wife) available at Black Poppy Press

A tornado hit the scout ranch in Little Sioux, Iowa.  93 scouts and 25 adults were divided into two groups when the storm struck. One was in camp, but the other was out hiking on the 1,800-acre Little Sioux Scout Ranch. Over forty boys were injured, four were killed. Killed were Aaron Eilerts, 14, of Eagle Grove, Iowa; and Josh Fennen, 13, Sam Thomsen, 13, and Ben Petrzilka, 14.

These boys showed great heroism. They took care of each other. Watching the news I heard stories of older boys taking care of younger ones, and scouts taking care of their wounds. As a former Scout, I have to say I am very thankful for the organization. It has taught me a lot, helped to develop my character and gave me ways to serve my community. I am thankful for the Boy Scouts and all it taught me. My prayers are with all the scouts and their families. 

I work hard for my clients. Sometimes when I meet people socially they ask me if Real Estate is "all" I do or if it is something I do part-time. I know that some people use Real Estate to supplement their income but Real Estate is not a part-time job. I want to give clients the best customer service I can while getting new clients at the same time. The job can sometimes take much longer than the traditional 40 hour workweeks. Do any of you feel the same way?

I like to think of myself as a "neighborhood expert". That means I have to not only be aware of what is going on in my community, but be ready to give the information to someone else-whether they ask for it or not. I know that we all are familiar with going door to door-some of us love it and others dread the idea. I have found it helpful to offer homeowners information when I visit, keeping them aware of important local information.

  Once a year the city has a "clean up day" where large item can be left out for garbage pick up.If you miss that day, you are stuck for the rest of the year or you have to end up renting a big garbage can. The city sends out flyers but a lot of the time it gets caught up in all of the junk mail. So I make up flyers of my own and hand deliver them, letting people know about the clean up day. It gives me information to give them rather than asking if they are ready to buy or sell a home.

   It gets me recognized in the neighborhood. It also keeps me aware of what is going on in the city. Buena Park, CA also known as the "Cener of the Southland" has a lot to offer its residents besides Knott's Berry Farm- once a week the city offers trips, babysitting services, and concerts. Also, because there is so much going on, it gives me something different to talk about each time I visit. So check out what is going on in your own neighborhood and become an "expert".