We stopped at a For Sale By Owner Home near our office. We got talking with the owners and decided to help them. They needed to do a short sale. The home was unattractive on the outside. It had 0 curb appeal. The inside was ok. We priced it to sell. I hesitate to put the price ($34000) (not that mucch hesitation) I'm not looking for referrals in thos price range at all. None. Nada. 0.

It had a 2nd mortgage on it. We had 3 buyers. Two attempts failed. Pushy, impatient buyers, couldn't wait for it to happen. The 3rd buyer had an agent that was good. We got the second to agree they (first 1st of 3 offers) would accept $1500. I was surprised when the second lender advised me they wanted $2500. The first agreed to that 2500 figure and when we sent the final HUD, they raised it to $2651. The first wouldn't (couldn't they said) change it. I explained to the second lender's negotiater the offer was two thousand dollars lower than the previous two offers. The second (you I'm talking to you the seconds negotiator) raised your to 2500 and now you want $2651.

I said "you are nuts. How about making a business decision based on common sense? She had been contacting the management company asking the same question. After one more day of waiting to hear from the manager, she sent an approval letter accepting the lower figure.

Forward to close.

We had a phone call from the buyer's agent. She wanted to do a walk through. We met at the house. It wasn't cleaned properly. She informed us their was a crack in the glass top cook top range. She said it wasn't there before. I asked to see the inspection report. She said the customer declined to have one done. I called the seller and he told me it was there from a long time ago. I said "didn't you invest a lot of money in your home a year ago. He told me it was broken during installation, I asked"and you never called them back to fix it? Inspector Clouseau thought to himself "something fishy here, boss)I suggested

he should offer the buyer $200. They had to pay $50 to have the home broom swept clean. So then I had to find a cleaner. Other than that the house was easy to sell. I made approximately $750 and had to pay a referral fee of 25%. I make 13 cents/hr. I still love the business. I like helping people. God is good.

LIFE IS GOOD. KIERAN AND CECELIA   

We had a bank approval at 121,900, a buyer (not ours) and an inspection. The inspection read "recommend further testing for chines drywall". There were pictures. The buyer walked. He had young children. We believed there was no Chinese drywall and had 2 inspections done to our satisfaction indicating there was none. The cause of the "appearance of Chinese drywall........ was sulfur in the water.  

We were told to relist it at 115,000. (denied now by the negotiator) In the meantime the air conditioner was stolen. (5000) We have a new buyer at 100,000. The negotiator wanted their highest and best offer. They said 103,000. the negotiator said no and wants to shred the file.

We did the following analysis and sent it to the negotiator. Our analysis is based on common sense. We aren't making the point 'There is Chinese drywall' Our point is who's going to buy it when they see the pictures and are told the first inspection indicated the presence of Chinese drywall?

If it has it, it's worth 62,340. If it doesn't it's worth 103,000. The negotaitor wants as close to 121,900 as she can get. That is our case. We have only the court of public opinion. What do you think?

OUR ANALYSIS

In zip code 34286 on our mls ,there are 7 homes that showed up when Chinese Drywall is mentioned in the public remarks. The stats are listed below. The average sp/ftac is $34.13 The subject property has 1845 ftac. = $62,969

All homes without Chinese Drywall were $63.98  x  1845 ftac   = $118,043

We searched the same zip code without using Chinese Drywall in the public remarks. There were 743 records. The average lp/ft was 67.41. The average sp/ftac was 63.98.= $118,043   for the subject property.

With Chinese Drywall in the public remarks, the average sp/ftac was 34.13 = $62,969 for the subject property

We searched the same zip code without using Chinese Drywall in the public remarks. There were 743 records. The average lp/ft was 67.41. The average sp/ftac was 63.98.= $118,043   for the subject property.

With Chinese Drywall in the public remarks, the average sp/ftac was 34.13 = $62,969 for the subject property

Kieran and Cecelia loughman

Exit Platinum Realty

Hi Whomever!
I really want your opinion. Based on my blogging track record, I won't get it, but here goes anyway. I think I am funny, but my wife keeps telling me to cut it out. In our newsletter my wife and daughter are trying to seize editorial oversight. I made a comment about being in the lotus position at my private yoga session and seizing the moment, bit my toenail. That's not easy for a fat, old guy on oxygen with Parkinsons. It was understandable to me that I could lose my balance, fall from my chair and roll out the driveway to the road. I didn't realize that Joe Crowley, coming home from an all-nighter, was barreling down the road (23 mph speed limit) and just missed me. I had no idea he would sue me for slander. Funny?

A more recent item. We listed our neighbors home and a Canadian couple bought it. I put an email blurb out about it and mentioned the buyers bought with the stipulation i couldn't get the morning newspaper in my bathrobe as part of the contract. I mentioned in my e-mail something about "yeah, I ok'd it but that didn't say anything about Speedos." That was such a frightening thought, I had to stop and collect myself.

Am I the only one that thinks like this? My wife and daughter will not allow speedo and toenail comments. They are redflagged words. At this rate I'll be down to a 3/2/2. lovely, etc.

My thought process is "I'm not going to get everyone anyway."  What do you think?

Kieran 

We don't quit. We never do. Well maybe once, rarely. not this time, Never. You be the judge. We were referred to a short sale listing. It was a nice home. 3/2/2 + pool in decent shape. We priced it and found our own buyer who fell in love immediately, wrote an offer, and canceled it within 24 hours. They explained they would buy it when they came back in 3 months. No Probelm for us. We didn't burn any bridges with them' 

We had a call from another couple that had peeked in the windows and then left for PA. They kept our phone number from the yard sign, called to find out the price and told us if the buyers backed out, call them back. We did and they had been approved by the VA and made an offer. Our seller signed the contract and we sent it to the lender.

At the inspection, prior to closing it was determined there was a termite infestation. It prevented our buyers from buying ecause the VA insists on everything being fixed before closing. our lender wouldn't pay for the damage repair and so our buyers backed out. No problem

We called back the previous buyers and told them they might be able to buy the home at a better price than before. We met them at the property with the termite inspector and the general contractor we work with. Between the two of them they assessed the damage and gave an estimate to repair it on the spot. our first buyer made an offer of initial price -damage estimate- "fear factor number. I thought he was nuts but our seller signed it and the lender turned it down. We didn't quit at that point.

This was our first experience with termites and wood frame houses. We checked and found the average sale price/sqft of wood frame houses vs concrete block houses was substantial. We applied our figures to the subject property and the lender agreed with us and ok'd the purchase. We have a happy buyer. We took care of the seller's desire to get out from under by doing a short sale. Our contractor has a nice job. Our termite inspector gets to do his thing and after all is said and done, we must have made damn near $3/hr. However the good thing for us is "it's not about the money" We really do like helping people and we learned a lot about wood frame houses and termites.

Our business continues to grow. We are learning a lot. We genuinely like helping people and we are grateful for the opportunity. We love our business. For us maybe the answer to our question is Never. Well maybe rarely. Once in a while. Occassionally, but not often.

Thank you in advance for your interest.

Kieran and Cecelia

Exit Platinum Realty 

Hi All

We picked www,venicegolfrealestate.com as our domain name and use point2NLS as our web host. The name comes up every so often and must be renewed/ This year we got a notice and I looked at it briefly

and handed it to my wife to pay and submit. Next thing I get a notice thanking me for switching to brand x. + it only cost us $30 for the one year.

When I realized it wasn't godaddy.com, i called the number on the notice and told the customer service rep I never intended to switch services. I had been tricked into it. (i was a victim) I wanted reparation (I'm off purpose) The rep told me he would return our check and cancel our order.

That is a nasty way to do business. I called GoDaddy.Com and they renewed my domain name for $30 for 3 years. I never checked prices. Not only was the company tricking me, but they were charging a lot more than the company I had been using.

Is it possible you have an example you could alert us to?

Kieran and Cecelia

Hi Whomever!
I am referring to my wife, me and me. I do want to relay my experience with the Equator website. When I was invited to post a listing on Equator.com, I thought I had arrived. Every time I think I have arrived, I am usually leaving. I must be more careful of my thoughts. However, I am willing to share them. You be careful also.It costs money. Doesn't everything? No! Active Rain is free and it's the best source of information we have available.

I paid my money, took the course and became certified. For a lot of people, I'm sure it is easy. For me it was difficult. I found myself unable to get much help. It was easy for me to be critical of the website and the lack of help. I wanted explanations from my contact at Bank of America and they didn't respond. I could talk with the equator.com help desk, but often I had to wait 10-15 minutes on the phones and sometimes longer.

Equator answers technical questions about the website. That's all. I had that question on my test to get certified. I forgot that one right off the bat. I sent email messages to the contact over the equator,com website, whining and complaining about the lack of assistance. As usual, it was my fault for not reading and practicing.

I didn't like the fact that when I uploaded documents I had to separate them. Instead of of faxing a 50 page short sale package, I had to do them one section at a time. I always took great care to have my faxed package numbered. sectioned, organized to make things easier for the negotiator and it appears that that's what they are asking for again. It makes sense, I went from feeling I was doing their job to I'm helping us to get this job done for our seller.

What I like about it is the timeline. The mystery about what's happening is removed. The culprit who isn't doing what is needed at the time is readily identified and if it's not me, I am able to call my contact or send the perp an email and say "let's get going."

Response time is better. I am able to be more precise when communicating with our sellers and I am sure it will only get better. I think it's a good service.

Commercial for a preapproved short sale at 200,000. SFH in Heron Creek 2/2/2 + den. pool, lanai and awesome view. low hoa, no cdd, you can't go wrong with this. 5179 Pine Shadow Ln North Port Fl 34287

Lowest Priced Pool Home in Heron Creek with a view of the Ist hole, fairway and lake on the Marsh Course. 

1. We're doing a survey for our newsletter. Here is what we're thinking!There are 3 Choices1-Reparation 2-Affirmative Action 3-American Disabilities Act of 1990
2. We're awarding a $25 gift certificate to one of the responders (active rain) + 4 in our newsletter. Names will be drawn from "the hat."

You know what the choices are and there is a prize! Here's how this all started. 

                   Reparation-my father came from Ireland. He was white and Catholic and a college graduate.  When he arrived in Boston, he applied for a job at Harvard University as a dishwasher. (there was nothing else available) He was told Irish catholics need not apply. Unbelievable! Code Violation! It would seem hilarious today but not to my father when it happened. Any realtor not white, not of Irish descent, not Catholic owes us $500/listing in our zip code

or be subject to a fine of $100/day, if not paid by 3/31/2010.

                   Affirmative Action Because I am the child of white, Irish Catholics, I have had a rough time getting ahead. My father wanted to go to Harvard when he arrived here. He figured if he could work at Harvard, eventually he would be able to go there and become like Joe Kennedy. I could have been like our former Lion of the Senate who I hear is now sober approximately 135 days. I went to Fordham University and have never been the same. I am a victim of this injustice and I want to be compensated in this manner. A onetime charge of $5000/realtor active in my zip code and a fine of $100/day if not paid by 3/31/2010

                   American Disabilities Act of 1990- Because I have had 2 heart attacks, quintuple by pass, emphysema, fibrosis, parkinsons disease, shingles, and sleep apnea + I get an occassional kanker sore, any person that lists their home with another realtor without allowing me to compete, will be fined $1000 and must arrange with the selling realtor to have me receive a 25% referral fee or be fined $100/day. Any realtor, other than one with the same illnesses as listed above, deemed to have listing in my zip code, will pay a onetime charge of !000/listing or be subject to a fine of $100/day if not paid by 3/31/2010.

Should my demise be quick and my blog and newsletter not continue I have filed a series of pictures and  other evidence with my attorney. Our hidden cameras show my daughter Lauren caught tying a knot in my oxygen line recently.

CALL 1-800-628-2148 EXTENSION 3011 LEAVE YOUR CHOICE A,B,C, YOUR NAME, TELEPHONE NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS SO WE CAN MAIL YOU YOUR $25 WINNING GIFT CERTIFICATE

We have learned mostly through our experience. Lately we have been involded with offers that we have little to no experience with. I logged into Active Rain went to the search space at the top of my home page and typed in VA Mortgages. I spent about one hour copying data, pasting it to a word document and printing it. Cecelia and I went over the research we gathered from others posting about it and learned enough to write the offer intelligently. This gave me sufficient confidence to go back to the search portion and search "inviting members" I learned enough to send invitations to 6 colleagues that I know would benefit greatly from Active Rain Membership. I sent the invitations with a personal message and trust that the open minded ones will join and start entering their profile. I'm a slow learner, but the more I see, the better I like this. I hope the ones I invited will earn more quickly than I did.

Kieran and Cecelia

I decided some time ago I really like the relationship approach. I want people to know what I am up to. I don't mind them knowing I'm a little strange, So are they. so are you. So watch it, buster. I find humor in a lot of things. I find humor in people who don't find me humorous. I started sending out emails, blogs, marketing pieces that Cecelia would tell me after "made her nervous." For example. We made this sign up for our community. It says "We live here and we love it". Our community management team jumped into action and made me take it down. I responded with the following email. Most people do have a sense of humor, including the management company. They now advertise in our newsletter and get that it's ok to have fun. We really do live here and love it.

We entered a listing and have narketed it as a short sale. We have an offer and packaged up the paperwork, faxed it to the lender, verified it was received and then went through a process of waiting for the negotiator to agree or not on the price. We had requested the buyer be realistic and they agreed. However the bank countered on the high side and the lender wouldn't budge. Long story short... No deal

I called he lender a few days later to see what the status of the file was? What file? What LOA. They shredded the works. I'm working with someone else on that file and they were told the same thing.

I decided I wasn't going to take it anymore. I sent an email to the senior negotiator and her boss. I told them how dare they shred the file. I was going to forward the whole file to the banking commissioner and see what he thought. I was prepared to do battle. I had facts and figures. I received a call withing minutes from the senior negotiator. She asked me to not send the file out. I didn't. This afternoon I received a call from the other person, I am working with. She said she had a call from her boss and they gave a better price and said we had 6 days to get it done. How about that. They also told her 6% commission if there are 2 different agents, but only 3% if we get both sides. I AM GOING TO TELL THEM TO NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT MY COMMISSION. I MEAN IT. I AM NO LONGER WILLING TO LET THEM SET MY COMMISSION. UNLESS OF COURSE I CAN SET THEIR FEES. We shall see who wins.