deb brooks: Is it a "SAFE" act? Not anymore! Flippers Beware!
- 03/01/12 06:28 AM
First, I must proclaim that I am NOT an Attorney and in no way am I attempting to give legal advice. My question is, "how SAFE is it to owner finance in Texas?" I received a call from a friend yesterday and she was asking me about the potential of OWNER FINANCING her Texas home. She explained that a couple had viewed it and said their credit was not up to par and would the Seller consider holding the note. This answer was a no-brainer. It was a big fat "NO". Their home is still mortgaged which caused the obvious … (8 comments)
deb brooks: Take Charge of Your Attitude and Sell More Real Estate!
- 01/25/12 10:18 AM
Take Charge of Your Attitude and Sell More Real Estate! IMHO... Our attitudes, as well as our thoughts, actions and the love we choose to give are all CHOICES. If you want a better attitude....make better choices.
Be grateful there is work to be done. Boredom kills and challenges keep you "thinking". Quit grumbling and count your blessings. We all have them. Thank our Nation for giving us the right and the choice to vote. Thank our customers for being loyal. Offer to help a friend, colleague, or client with no expectations. Remind your clients that you will be there … (25 comments)
deb brooks: "Change" is a lot more than you find in your pocket!
- 01/24/12 05:02 AM
Is anyone else's head spinning like mine? Geeze, everything is changing! I realize that nothing remains the same but in the "good ole' days" they stayed the same for a lot longer. And, the changes were not just slammed in your face! Changes happened gradually with plenty of time and acceptance to get a grip on how we need to do things. In fact, gas prices did not jump so hard in a day! Fashions changed from a butterfly collar to a straight angled collar and the rest of the blouse was the same. One digit was added to our phone … (21 comments)
deb brooks: Are we in Real Estate or Education?
- 01/20/12 12:58 PM
Is a Realtors'® profession Real Estate or Education? The answer is BOTH. Part, a large part, is the educational process of the customers and clients. To define the positions of Realtors®, and the insignia ®, one of the main duties would be to educate and watch the backs of the buyers. When a Realtor® receives a phone call or email contact from a person looking for a property, what should they do? Should they help the potential client learn about the business? Are Realtors® teaching them what they need to know?Should the agent say, "sure, I'll show you" or should you say, "May we discuss what it takes to purchase a home?"Which statement is the right way to go? … (48 comments)
deb brooks: When The Pendulum Swings Too Far...
- 01/18/12 07:45 AM
In Real Estate it truly hurts. It hurts everyone. Two major facts in our business will forever remain the same. People in general want a roof over their heads to call home and it's easier to love it and call it "home" if you hold the deed. Rentals are beginning to skyrocket and why? This is a true to life analogy that tells the story...Currently on our books is a pending sale for the amount of $605,000. Not bad, huh? The client is financially superb. The appraisal on the home came in at a much higher number so there is plenty … (26 comments)
deb brooks: Rich Real Estate Agent, Poor Real Estate Agent, Nuts and Bolts of Real Estate...
- 11/10/11 02:22 PM
If you read the recently published post by Active Rain you will realize the amount of information they gathered is totally invaluable to your business. And, this applies to you. From the moment I began Real Estate, I have invested a great amount of money in Advertising and On-line Presence. Most of my On-line Presence is self generated but not all of it. With all the sites featuring Real Estate such as Homes.com, Zillow, Twitter, Craigslist, and of course Facebook, I have found that most of my business in dollars $$$'s have been generated from ActiveRain! ActiveRain is a site that … (22 comments)
deb brooks: If the House has Issues...Are you a lazy Realtor®?
- 11/06/11 10:05 AM
If the house has issues, will there be anymore discussion? I truly think that depends on several things. If you are honestly out to find the right home for your Buyer then you have probably listened to their reactions about the house in the first place. Or, are you one that says, "well, you certainly do not want to deal with this!" Here's my "what if"...What if your Buyer loves the home with the absence of the issues? Let's say it has foundation issues. Did you just say, "oh well, we will find you another?" Or, did you question your Buyer? … (36 comments)
deb brooks: ActiveRain you make me laugh! Your Google Juice Tickles Me!
- 11/04/11 02:11 PM
ActiveRain you make me laugh! Your Google Juice Tickles Me!It's been a very long week...month...and so on! This last week though has been a bear. I have been missing my blogging and my friends and my contests and my points and of course, last but not least, MY GOOGLE JUICE! Today I was dealing with yet another hitch in my "getalong" and I received a phone call.The lady on the other end of the line asked the question, "Are we having the Montgomery Trade Days" tomorrow? ( I AM LAUGHING TO MYSELF) as it clicked right away why she was calling! … (43 comments)
deb brooks: Home is where the heart is...
- 11/03/11 02:46 PM
Home is where the heart is...As Professionals we have the drill down now don't we? We question, we qualify, we place, but are we actually doing the best for our clients? Are we finding out where their hearts are? Couples, singles, families, all have their specifications of their perfect "living ideals".
Maybe you have a woman that works full time and her only relax time is in the den?
Maybe you have a full time home maker that spends 40% of her time in the kitchen or maybe her idea is to make … (11 comments)
deb brooks: Hallow-Thanks-Mas!
- 10/30/11 03:54 PM
This one won't be coming up on Google you know. No such word. I first heard this from Jason Crouch. Yes, the famous, or is it the infamous Jason Crouch? He's off making bookoos of money for his family as we speak. We are all trying to do the same. What is it you ask? This word? Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas or Hanakkuh depending on your choice! They are all beginning to blend together. Help keep the "commercialism" from our Holidays! WooHoo! We are in the season of celebrating. The word "celebrating" almost brings to mind the … (23 comments)
deb brooks: Change...it's more than what you find in your pocket. Just Thinkin'...
- 10/25/11 02:36 PM
It is a daily guarantee. Nothing we do, nothing we know, and no one we know will remain the same. Philosophy is one of deep thought, "educational concepts" that haunt each of us even if we never had formal education. Whether you realize it or not, it will haunt you.EXAMINE ALL POSSIBILITIESChange. What does it mean? As humans it means we have yet another mountain to climb. We have yet another problem to solve. We have yet another heart to heal and yet another dilemma to dissolve. We can do it. We were placed upon this earth to absorb, then rationalize and … (44 comments)
deb brooks: Real Estate and the Question of Courtesy Listings...Get Over Your Phobia!
- 10/16/11 03:53 PM
Thinking back a few years ago I remember the attitude of..."It's my listing...don't touch it!" I had progressed into the new millennium like a comet hitting earth for an old fart like me. It all seems to me to be a normal understandable thing to do! Zillow, Realtor.com and so many others scrape our listings anyway. Why not allow a competitor to show your listing on their web sites? Why not?Our standard rules are to show the listing company and simply place your name and contact information for the showings and "BUYER'S REPRESENTATIVE". We should all have the simple "DO … (18 comments)
deb brooks: Making money on a referral is one thing, but a vendor? I don't think so!
- 10/07/11 08:48 PM
Lately I have been receiving ads from different vendors that want to pay me referral fees for standard maintenance on my client's homes. I got a call and an email from a roofer today. I get these calls from my presence on AR and I love it. This just made me nervous. Have maintenance companies been offering you money for referrals? This is a practice I have never taken part in and I do not plan to do so in the future. It seems to me as if they will simply charge the client a bit higher price to give me … (77 comments)
deb brooks: I Made 400.000 Points? Wowser...
- 10/05/11 05:38 PM
Oh my, I just thought this would be a mountain that I couldn't climb. I remember my first 50,000 points that seemed like it was never going to happen. I quit worrying about the points and simply began voicing my thoughts, business views, listings and other important communications for my business and "voila" here I am! I am so grateful to Active Rain and the forum they have provided us. I am found in so many places on Google and I never dreamt I could actually get there. Anyone can. Each and every one of you can get to whatever goal … (29 comments)
deb brooks: Dear Kodak, If only I had Your 6.1 All In One Printer!
- 10/05/11 04:31 PM
Dear Kodak,You have been a part of my life for many years now. I have photos of my children taken from your cameras and vacations and old photos of myself taken from one of your very old cameras with a huge flash! I still have it and it is now considered an antique just like me! I love the fact that I am dealing with a company that is much older than I. Because of this very fact and your tried and true experience, you will have my respect and preferred business for all time. I would like to share a … (11 comments)
deb brooks: FEMA Reshapes The Landscape of Our Business...
- 10/04/11 03:45 PM
I received two calls today from my blogs about FEMA from local residents! It is a double edged sword since I am reporting and explaining bad news. August 16, 2011 the new FEMA flood maps became official.
As of today, Wells Fargo customers are receiving their Flood Certification Notices. Others may be too. The new maps are now replacing the old and the perimeters are much, much different. Homes that once showed in the "safe zone" or the "C zone" are now showing in the "A zone". What does this mean? This means that their property has just been … (87 comments)
deb brooks: If Everyone Bought a Horse, Would Real Estate Stabilize?
- 10/03/11 11:01 AM
Or, maybe if everyone bought a house, would Real Estate Stabilize? I just read a post written by Pam Hills, Just a thought & please don't shoot me for asking.... wondering about revisiting the old practice of Lease To Own or Lease Purchase. Her title made me laugh. It reminded me of "They shoot horses don't they?" Pam, I totally enjoyed your post. Today with so many homes sitting on the market for so very long owners that are carrying that second note hit a critical moment. They ask themselves, "should I let the house go?" My answer to them is, "not … (14 comments)
deb brooks: Dear Guinness Book of World Records, I'm Stuck Again...
- 10/01/11 09:24 AM
I believe I could easily make the Guinness Book of World Records for "getting the car stuck". My serious weakness is curbs, culverts, curbs, and occasionally mud but with the drought I have to stick to the curb thing. . I have had clients with me on many of the occasions of having to be towed out of culverts. It does give us a lot of visiting time. Today was a day off for me...and believe me I am frustrated with myself and Mr. Murphy the curb man. Murphy's Law states that if I need to be somewhere on time a … (25 comments)
You have probably already seen this wonderful and playful video. Two seniors were playing with their Web Cam trying to take a picture. They had no earthly idea that they were recording themselves!
I have watched this at least 5 times all the way through. I want this to remain in my posts so I can watch anytime! You should save it too.
Their mutual respect, playfulness, support and honest love is ...
The way I want to be!
Enjoy! … (22 comments)
deb brooks: It Really Did Rain Some Today! Really!
- 09/29/11 04:10 PM
Talk about amazing. I was sitting in a lovey little spa just a few minutes from my home today being a little pampered. Having my nails done, both hands and feet and I was wishing I could get back home even though it was pleasurable. The place was packed. All of a sudden we heard this amazing earth shaking boom. I jumped as I was sitting right next to the window but wow! When I looked OUT THE WINDOW there it was! Rain! Hallelujah~It was rain. The sky darkened and the clouds were heavy and dark. It began with a … (18 comments)
Wichita Falls Texas Real Estate, Homes, Properties and Rentals by Deb "Alayne" Brooks and RE/MAX Elite Group. Learn about local, State wide and National Real Estate trends and predictions.
Search listings in the Wichita Falls area including Sheppard Air Force Base, Burkburnett, Iowa Park, Archer City, Lakeside City, Holliday, and Dean.
Contact Alayne for all your Real Estate Needs at 940-500-4010.
First, I must proclaim that I am NOT an Attorney and in no way am I attempting to give legal advice. My question is, "how SAFE is it to owner finance in Texas?" I received a call from a friend yesterday and she was asking me about the potential of OWNER FINANCING her Texas home. She explained that a couple had viewed it and said their credit was not up to par and would the Seller consider holding the note. This answer was a no-brainer. It was a big fat "NO". Their home is still mortgaged which caused the obvious … (8 comments)
;)
;)
;)
