MR. SELLER, WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US IN TO SEE YOUR HOME LISTED FOR SALE?
A thoughtful post by Paddyapologizing to home owners who have listed their for sale inspired me to post about the same subject, from a different perspective.
Well, of course we buyers agents try to accommodate the seller's wishes about access to their homes listed for sale. We have no choice. The seller determines access. However, the key words there are "homes listed for sale".
What does "FOR SALE" mean?
It means that the home is listed FOR SALE by the owner with the understanding that interested home buyers will be visiting the home to walk through it to help them, the home buyers, determine whether or not the property will be considered as a future home. Often, after trying to get access to a home listed for sale, I come to believe that the seller wishes to sell but doesn't want anyone visiting. Fact is, many home buyers need to visit a home for sale more than once before making an offer. This is particularly true of first time home buyers, which is a huge percentage of our market today.
WALK THROUGH QUICKLY THEN BUY. Probably no asset offered for sale in the world is purchased with less investigation than real estate. Yet, this asset is gong to be, not only a possession of great value, usually encumbered by a costly lien secured by a note with a pay-off of many, many years. Of course, there will be certain limited investigations and verifications following a Contract of Sale. However, the fact is, most home buyers will make the largest consumer purchase of their lifetime following one or two visits to the property for sale. Contingencies to the contract protect the home buyer to the extent that the buyer is able to verify the value and condition of the property, but not until they have entered into a contract and deposited earnest money, usually $Thousands, as a sign of good faith on the part of the purchaser to protect the seller.
All of the above sounds routine and it usually is. However, what is so often missed is the difficulty that serious, qualified and motivated home buyers have just getting access to see the home listed for sale.
WARNING! HOME FOR SALE.
SHOWING BY APPT. ONLY!
LISTER MUST ACCOMPANY!
LIMITED SHOWING HOURS!
24 HOURS NOTICE REQUIRED!
CALL LISTER!
CALL OWNER!
NO LOCK BOX
PRINCIPALS ONLY
APPT. MUST BE VERIFIED
CALL LISTER FOR COMBO
IS THE SELLER A BARRIER TO SALE? When scheduling tours of resale homes for buyers, I often have to ask, "Do these folks really want to sell this property?" How do they expect to sell it if they won't let folks in to see it? Far to often, in my experience, prospective home buyers are treated as intruders.
"WHY DO THEY NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN?" That was the comment from a listing agent when I called for an appointment for a follow up visit to a home for sale. The list price was $1,200,990. Yet, the sellers, through their agent, made showing almost impossible. Fact is, I was touring with the husband for two weeks to select homes to show his wife who had to travel from San Diego so they could make the final decision together. The husband and I toured every afternoon for 2 weeks and narrowed the selections to five homes for sale. Time for the wife to arrive to help with the final selection.
IT'S NOT CONVENIENT THIS WEEK. That comment came from a listing agent when I tried to make an appointment for one of the five homes. My buyers had set aside two days to tour 5 homes. Yet, it "was not convenient" for the listing agent to show it that particular week. With no lock box, we had no access without the listing agent. The listing agent was the broker, so, no higher authority to appeal. Sadly, that home was elimitated from consideration. The home my buyers purchased was vacant and they spent a good hour touring, measuring, discussing, placing furniture, planning carpeting, etc. When buying a home, sometimes buyers just need time to help themselves "feel at home" in the house. When scheduling a tour of homes for buyer clients, I begin to make appointments fully two days prior to the tour. It often takes that long to reach the "agent must show", "no lock box", "limited hours", etc. listings and get the showing confirmed. I'm relentless and unless someone says that we cannot see the property, I keep trying until I get all properties selected scheduled. It's exhausting and time consuming, but just part of the job. However, it doesn't really have to be as difficult as it is. It often appears that sellers or their agents believe that theirs is the only home on the market.
WE WERE 22 MINUTES LATE! I have been denied entry to homes for sale when we were early or late for the appointment. When we tour homes listed for sale, we are often scheduling 3-6 or more homes at a time. It is virtually impossible to arrive at a specific time for each appointment. I allow reasonable drive time between properties and 15-30 minutes to tour each home on the first visit. Yet, we've entered some homes whereby the sellers complain that we are early or late with a scowl and a very unwelcoming attitude. What are their priorities, to sell the home or to adhere to a strict showing schedule??
HOW TO SELL A HOME FOR THE BEST PRICE, IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME WITH THE BEST TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SELLER!
I've been reading the NEW CLEAN ENERGY LEGISLATION. New home builders and consumers will see dramatic changes in new home construction and/or new home prices.
ACES establishes new standards for building efficiency, requiring new buildings to be 30% more efficient in 2012 and 50% more efficient in 2016. States are offered allowances that they can sell to support adoption and enforcement of the new standards. The Department of Energy must enforce the standards in states that do not incorporate the building standards into their state building codes.
This mandate includes new residential construction.
Builders who have been incorporating energy efficient building techniques will be far ahead of the market. Reducing energy use standards by 30% by 2012 is quite a feat and I suspect that it will increase the cost of new construction a good bit. That may help the sale of resale homes until the improved energy efficience standards are extended to existing homes. The standards will be established to cover existing homes.
Establishes a program under which the Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of EPA support development of standards and processes for retrofitting existing commercial and residential buildings. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to provide funding to states for cost-effective building retrofits, with funding increasing in proportion to efficiency achievement. Also supports improved water efficiency and other environmental goals and provides special levels of support for retrofits of historic buildings.
IT'S COMING FOLKS. I PLAN TO BECOME A GREEN CERTIFIED REALTOR IN SEPTEMBER.
MANY BUILDERS HAVE ALREADY INCORPORATED "GREEN" MATERIALS AND FEATURES.
Waterford Virginiain the Loudoun Valley is the perfect place to celebrate the 4thof July in 2009 with the Red White & Blue of the American Flag. Settled in the 1730s, Waterford is a small oasis of history in Western Loudoun County where residents and visitors can imagine themselves living in the 18th Century just by looking around at homes, estates and farms that date back to the beginnings of our great country.
Homes and Barns in Waterford Virginia date back to the 18th Century.
CELEBRATING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE - Hanging out the flag!
WHAT IS THE GOAL? TO SELL REAL ESTATE or to blog?? A reality check.
Drop in on Josh Murphy and answer his question. "If You Are Reading This, then Participate, why not? Its free?"
THE IDEA IS TO SELL REAL ESTATE. It can be done without participating in social networks. Most folks understand that. There is far more real estate sold by agents and brokers who DO NOT participate in social networking than that do.
Perhaps it's a comfort level of the agents who are quite pleased to do business the way they are doing it.
Perhaps it's because they can't type.
Perhaps it's because they don't need more business.
Perhaps it's because they were never writers.
Perhaps it's because they are sick of hearing about social networking.
One thing I know for sure. It is NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE!
Unless Josh wishes to simply exhibit a sad degree of gratuitous ageism on ActiveRain, young whipper snapper that he appears to be, my question is. . . . why do you care how other agents in your office market their services or their listing ???
NEWS FLASH! Those folks are competition. I'll bet that they understand that.
I'll bet further that there are a few members of ActiveRain that manage to get a serious amount of business from blogging, web sites, networking despite being older than dirt,
Many of us old Geezers on ActiveRain could be enjoying an afternoon with friends.
FREDERICK COUNTY BANK OWNED HOMES / FORECLOSURES FOR SALE
Lenn Harley, Broker for Homefinders.com and the Homefinders.com network is approved by Frederick County, Maryland to represent home buyers applying for a Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Loan under the Frederick County program designed to help home buyers purchase bank owned foreclosed properties.
Home Buyers in Frederick County can now obtain down payment and closing cost help from the Fredrick County Neighborhood Conservation Initiative Program (NCI).
Highlights of the Down Payment Assistance
Zero Interest Down Loans for qualifying home buyers.
$15,000 down payment help home buyers who occupy the homes.
Additional $5,000 for some Frederick County employees.
Additional $5,000 for qualifying bank owned homes in some zip codes.
Only Bank Owned Foreclosed properties qualify for purchase.
30 Year Fixed interest rate loan only.
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES * TOWN HOMES * CONDOMINIUM HOMES
Employees who qualify for an additional $5,000 include:
City of Brunswick
City of Frederick
Frederick Community College
Frederick County PUblic School
Frederick County Government
Frederick Memorial Hospital
Maryland State Police, Frederick Brracks
Frederick County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association w/ LOSAP requirements
Home must be buyer's primary residence. Buyers must meet income limits, $86,250 to $162,700 depending on number in household. Contact us for details.
EXAMPLE: HOMES ELIGIBLE FOR NCI DOWN PAYMENT AND CLOSING COSTS LOAN.
FOR HOME BUYERS WHO WOULD LIKE NEW CONSTRUCTION BUT CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PROPERTY TO BE BUILT, BUILDERS SPECS ARE THE ANSWER.
Popular builder offers the new home in Frederick County below at an affordable price of $369,000.
Kitchen featuresinclude, Stainless Steel Appliances, kitchen island, Dishwasher, Disposal, Icemaker, Microwave, Self Cleaning Oven, Gas Oven Range, Side By Side Refrigerator. Energy Star Appliances*.
Master Bath features include Separate Bath and Shower, Two Person Soaking Bathtub,
Amenities throughout the house include: Crown Molding, 10 Year Warranty, 9 Foot Ceilings on Main Level, Wood Floors in Foyer, Sprinkler System in House for Fire Prevention, Lawn Sod in Front and Back Yard.
Roomy Lot - .24 Acre Lot, 10,411 Square Feet. Approx. 2,400 Square Feet Finished on Main and Upper Level plus unfinished basement.
ALMOST FINISHED WITH - KITCHEN AND MASTER BATH
NO FREDERICK CITY TAXES!
4 bedroom,single family
Minutes from Historic Downtown Frederick
Views of Catoctin Mountains
Convenient to I270,I70 & Rt.15
WALKERSVILLE IS JUST 4 MILES NORTH OF THE TOWN OF FREDERICK.
Ask about the Homefinders.com New Home BUYERS REBATE. The REBATE for this new home is $3,600.
100% financing available for some models.Homes qualify for FHA, VA, USDA financing.
Demographics --Average Income Families W/Children $76,956 --Average Age 35.7 --Percent Married 62.3 --Percent With Children 39 --Percent High School Graduates 87.7 --Percent College Graduates 37.3 --Average SAT Scores 1047 --Expenditures Per-Student $7,958 --Land Area 662.9 Square Miles --County Population 195,277 --Population Density Per Sq. Mile 295 --Population Growth Rate (5 yrs) 2.1%
THE NEW HOMES IN LOVETTSVILLE ARE NEW SELLING. THIS IS WHAT RESIDENTS OF LOVETTSVILLE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. We've been waiting for construction to begin again on these wonderful lots in the New Town Center. What's next? Commercial development? Let's hope so.
HOMES ARE SELLING FAST AND CONSTRUCTION IS VIGOROUS.
Construction underway on another lot.About 3 months to delivery.
Home is almost complete. About 45 days from delivery.
Ready for a new family. About 2 weeks from delivery.
CHECK OUT THESE PRICES. THEY CAN'T BE MATCHED in NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
THESE HOMES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR 100% FINANCING FOR QUALIFIED HOME BUYERS.
With Seller Closing help and the Homefinders.com New Home Buyer REBATE,
your acquisition cost for these homes may be $ZERO.
LOVETTSVILLE NEW TOWN CENTER MAP
LOUDOUN COUNTY VA MAP
Lovettsville Virginia is in the rural area of Western Loudoun County, Virginia.
Demographics for Lovettsville -Population Approx. 1200 (recent new home sales) -Land Area .91 Square Miles -Growth Rate (last 5 years) 5.9%% (Loudoun County) -Average Income Families W/Children $80,000 -Average Age 34 years -High School Graduates 87% -Average Age Homes 27 years -Owner Occupied 80%
William Johnson of San Diego writes passionately about the crisis in the water supply of his beloved area in California. William just returned from a trip east and commented about the "green" that he observed here. There's more to the "green" in the east than what we enjoy in 2009.
WILLIAM: The green here this year and for the past couple of years is all part of a cycle. We go in cycles of about 7-8 years. I've watched it for quite a few 7-8 year cycle repeats.
When this cycle is completed, which, if I can predict accurately from memory, will be about 2 years. Then we in the east should enter into a dry cycle and our grass will be brown, the corn will grow to only about 2 feet, the folks in Frederick County MD will have water trucked in to many areas because the wells will be dry and the city water drastically low, etc.
In areas that are overbuilt for the existing infrastructure of the towns, mandatory water restrictions are in place even in this year of water abundance. In Purcellville, a builder wanted to add another 240 town homes to the water supply. Thank goodness the town council rejected the application. It would have meant that the existing already low supply would have been reduced to every resident that depended on the local water supply.
Typical Farm in Northern Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range.
Our farms are not massive agribusinesses that we see in California, but farmers with truck farms who have no product to sell in our dry cycles. California relies on full fruited trees and plants because they sell to huge suppliers and have to have "super market ready product". In dry cycles, our truck farmers sell fruits and vegetables that are small and not attractive. I still buy them because I know they are local and our farmer families hard working neighbors. We don't have the vast water dependant development that they have in California. Here, when it doesn't rain, the fields are dry.
So, we can enjoy the green forests this year, but for how long??? Perhaps the agricultural enterprises in California can be deemed to be "too big to fail" and qualify for some massive federal aid from tax payers across the country. Makes sense to me. I'd rather subsidize food for our nation than the Wall Street Gangs. Of course, there might be some spill over.
Frederick County Parcipitation averages Jan.-Dec. **
Avg. Precip.
2.8 in
2.7 in
3.3 in
3.3 in
4.3 in
3.9 in
3.7 in
3.5 in
3.6 in
3.1 in
3.3 in
2.9 in
That's about 40 inches of rain fall annually. Enough to grow significant crops. Yet, in dry years, the fields produce little to nothing to market because the farms don't have artificial water supplies that we see in California. In the east, if the rain falls, the crops flourish. If the rain doesn't fall, there are no crops.
Rainfall in San Diego appears to be quite low based on historical data. Yet, California is where the massive agribusinesses are located and the massive water supplies needed. Nature is opportunistic and plants only grow naturally where the conditions are friendly. When mankind moves the plants to an unfriendly location, producing an engineered environment, it could eventually fail simply because the need to maintain the engineered environment far exceeds the profit from the plants growing there. Unless, the massive businesses that provide these artificial environments are deemed "To Big To Fail". It is clear to many that California cannot subsidize these massive engineered environments for crops. California has deficits/debt the likes of which we can only imagine, yet they are real. The country, all of the country to some extent has become dependant on the produce from California. Does that make the California agribusinesses "To Big To Fail"? Could be.
Normal Percipitation for Leesburg, VA.
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecAnnua
Inch
3.29
2.47
3.64
3.48
4.45
4.21
3.68
3.82
4.16
3.38
3.52
3.11
43.21
The message here is not the water supply. It's the water usage.
** I've used Frederick County, MD as the example of our area simply because it's an area that suffers crisis in water supply in our dry cycles.
More signs of summer in Virginia. Many local churches offer Vacation Bible School for local residents for a week or two during the summer vacation months.
Moms and Dads walking little ones to Vacation Bible School in Leesburg this a.m.
Sign up folks. The children will enjoy the games, activities and bible stories.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
red me to post about the same subject, from a different perspective. 
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