I have the great fortune of being affiliated with a firm that has a company coach, Bud George.  He started out as an agent, but found his passion was in helping others to better themselves.  For several years he held a two-day retreat to allow agents the opportunity to reflect on their goals and to devise a written plan on how to accomplish them.  In addition to looking at our often lofty life plans (we were allowed to dream big), it allowed us to put together a marketing plan for the coming year that would get us from Point A to Point B.

On this rainy day in which the phone is quiet, I decided it was time to consider what next year will hold for me. I want to be one of the agents who outlasts this housing slump, so what can I do to become exceptional in the eyes of my community?

Having a positive reputation as a knowledgeable professional is probably most important.  How do you earn this reputation because it's not just word of mouth that will carry you?  Here are some ideas:

 

• Write for more than Active Rain... start a community blog site using Wordpress or other free online software.  Promote events in your area, your neighborhood, your city. Build it and they will come!  My community blog draws from 200 to 800 visitors each day and the comments made by readers often result in stories covered by the media.
  
• Send at least one to five hand written notes each week to your friends, neighbors, and others in your sphere.
• Send out mailings (if you can) at least twice a month... a postcard, a letter with housing activity that month, Halloween wishes, a Thanksgiving recipe.
• Resolve to have an updated email list, even if it means spending a day or two going through your old files. Send out at least monthly email updates (and don't forget to give people an opt-out option).
• Call your sellers at least weekly.
• Stay in touch with potential buyers ... partner with a mortgage company, or a company like Lowe's (I'm not paid to say this) that has monthly email campaigns.

As individual agents, our words and areas of expertise may vary.  However, business won't fall into your lap without you putting some effort into it.  Your efforts don't have to cost a fortune ... just do something on a regular basis to stay in front of potential customers and clients.

I recently wrote on Banks.com that housing swaps weren't just for vacation rentals anymore - that they are growing in popularity for people buying homes.  When I wrote it, I never dreamed I'd be writing in search of a housing swap one month later.

The scenario:  My sellers live in the middle Tennessee area - just outside of Nashville in LaVergne.  LaVergne is popular for low taxes and its convenience to the metropolitan Nahsville area.  They just learned they have to be in Atlanta by June 1st for a job transfer, so we've listed their home hoping to get interested buyers quickly.  Unfortunately, there is about a six-month inventory of homes in their subdivision at this time so selling it fast may not be a realistic option (they don't want to give it away, but are seeking a fair market value price).

The details:  $155,000.  The home, located at 1704 Chris Drive is 1857 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2-car garage.  The garage is like a man-cave and above it is where the upstairs bonus was being built.  It already has subflooring and is framed, but staircase not yet built.  The seller has upgraded much of the lighting so there are lights above and below the kitchen cabinetry, as well as built in shelving in the bedrooms with lighting.  The backyard features a privacy fency and the front yard has amazing landscaping.

The how-to:  If you are considering a move to the Nashville area and are coming from Atlanta and have a house to sell, the sellers will consider a trade. They would prefer a trade up for a bigger home.  If you're an agent, please email or call me.  If you're a buyer, contact your agent in Georgia so we can work out details (I don't have a license to practice real estate in Georgia so involving a Realtor there would be necessary.). 

Here are some pictures!

 

 

My number:  (615) 491-2161 or email me at kathy (at) bobparks (dot) com. I look forward to hearing from some Active Rainers!

 

Since I just posted about Active Rain on my other blog (wordpress) and linked to here, I thought it would be helpful to update here!

So what's going on in my little world?  I've converted my old static web page from a static web page company finally to a Wordpress site.  You can see it at KathyTyson.com.  I'm really proud of having done that - it only took me two years... I had to wait until it was time for the domain name to be renewed, then switched to GoDaddy as host.  I was aggravated with my old host site because I had *another* domain name I had used.  It expired without notification and now it's in squatter limbo for a year or two.

Meanwhile, I continue to write for Shak & Jill and also started writing for Banks.com in May of 2008.  I do so enjoy these sites because it forces me to keep an eye on what's happening at the national level and sometimes international!  It does get challenging to come up with new content five days a week for two different sites because the content can't be duplicative.  That's where I'm so thankful to ActiveRain.  When I'm really stuck, I come over here to see what's on the mind of other agents and link back to them.

Anyway, hello again my old friend Active Rain.  I've missed you!

This is kind of an experiment to see if I can embed a video in this localism post. I also wanted to share images of this nice home in Smyrna - voted in the Top 10 places to retire in the U.S. The home has 1800 +/- square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, big bonus room, fenced in backyard. Very nice! Priced at $129,900, I think it won't last too long.

LaVergne has been waiting a long time to get a major grocery store since the former Bi-Lo closed a few years ago.  We were elated to learn that Kroger was coming and when they opened earlier this month, the residents welcome them with open arms!

This year alone we have a new post office, new Kroger, and new (fantastic) Thai restaurant.  These combined with a new drivers license station, new Taco Bell, new sit-down restaurant (WillStan's Grille) makes us feel like we're finally on the upswing of economic development.

In addition, the city has responded to concerns about the biggest subdivision in the state by opening a police substation.  That opening is expected within the next few weeks.  Good things are happening in LaVergne!

You wouldn't think I'm that "active" based on my posts here at Active Rain.  But you have helped me so many times!  I write for about three real estate blogs in addition to this one here in which I appear more and more to be a non-writer.

Shak & Jill is a site that was recognized by PC Magazine as a fun real estate blog to go see.  It thrilled me to no end to see us mentioned there!  I also write for Banks.com which always has me nervous.  When you think "BANKS" you think big business, so I'm always nervous over typos, sharing incomplete information (or wrong info!), and if I'm babbling or not. Then my own personal real estate blog is at great risk because I'm having a hard time updating there.  I have to keep it alive, though, in case I ever stop writing for the other two sites.  I want something to fall back on.

BUT my point here is how grateful I am to the Active Rain community.  Though I haven't spent the time commenting like I should and networking, I come often to see what everyone's talking about to share that on the other two blogs.  I try to leave link love as much as possible in an effort to drive traffic back to you.

So thank you AR'ers.  You are appreciated!

Helloooooo!  I'm looking for middle Tennessee real estate bloggers to feature on Music City Bloggers.  If you blog either here on Active Rain or a different blog, please comment so I can add you to my feed reader.  THANKS!  Kathy

I have a lovely listing in LaVergne, TN.  It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, 1211 square feet, one-car garage, and it back to Corps of Engineers property (no homes will be built behind it).  It's listed (I hope you're sitting if you're from expensive markets) for $115,000.  Even for this area right outside of Nashville, it's a great price.

So yesterday I heard I'd be getting offers from at least three buyers (from their agents).  I notified each agent that there would be multiple offers, with one already on the table (and I called that agent too).  Then... NOTHING.  No faxes.  No phone calls.  No returned calls.  Nothing.

I've worked with buyers who've previously fallen in love with homes, but when push comes to shove, they don't want to compete for a home.  I know there's a real concern that they don't want to jack the price up higher than they think it's worth, but the home APPRAISED AT $127,000.  That's already $12,000 in equity built right in!

The bottom line is that the original offer on the table will be the one to get the home.  And it wouldn't have taken much for another buyer to get it... just a willingness to follow through and act on their dreams.  I'm really at a loss, but I guess that's because when anything whiffs of competition, then I'm always determined to win.  I don't know if that's a sign of strength or a flaw in my character!  Heh.

I found this in my inbox (it's real):

The "ONLY SOBER PAINTERS IN TOWN"
Father and son painting team with over 25 years experience. Highly reliable and references available. Please contact ...

I nearly fell on the floor laughing when I read that.  Though (thankfully) this wasn't from a Realtor, it can serve as an example of the potential harm that we are capable of doing to each other.  Couldn't you just imagine? "You're using that drunk as your agent?"  MY GOODNESS!

When I meet with potential clients, I always ask if they're already working with another agent.  If they say yes and tell me who it is, I never ever say anything bad about them.  If I know they do good work, I will say that they've found a really good agent and extend my best wishes for lots of success.  If the agent has a reputation for being sloppy, I don't say anything, except I also wish them good luck for a successful home search.  My hope is that I'm being treated with the same professional courtesy by other agents. 

And on a sidenote, I will never call a painter whose marketing technique is to accuse all other painters of being drunks. Good grief!

I learned something new today and I'm a little surprised by it.  It's your typical "when you assume..." scenario.  I just got off the phone with my buyer's lender to confirm that everything is lined up and ready to go.  I learned we have a clear to close a full week ahead of schedule (my favorite three words in real estate are "clear to close")!

However, I told the lender that the seller had ordered the termite letter rather than the buyer because they didn't read the contract carefully.  I asked if he as a lender would be okay with that termite letter provided by the seller.  He said, "We don't even need a termite letter anymore."  I was shocked!  He added that they haven't required one for a year now.  He explained that although not all lenders have a no-termite letter policy, there are many many lenders who now waive the termite letter requirement.  Have you heard about this?

Let me end by duly noting that I will continue to urge my buyers to have the termite inspection done prior to closing, with a treatment and repair option in place!