Who is leaving the industry? - 01/31/08 12:54 PM
Many real estate agents have been leaving the business.  But who are leaving?  Is it the inexperienced agent?   Is it the agent with little business?  Is it the agent who is a year away from retirement deciding to leave early?  Is it an agent who is part of a team which is cutting back?  Is it an agent who thinks he can make more money doing something else? … (7 comments)

Full time BPOs and REOs? - 01/18/08 12:04 PM
I'm curious as to whether or not people are full time doing BPOs and REOs.  Or are you doing part time regular real estate and part time BPOs and REOs.  If so, how do you split the time.  I am trying to get to full time doing BPOs and REOs.   Right now I'm 75% BPOs and REOs and 25% regular real estate. … (13 comments)

Realtor psychology - 01/17/08 07:35 PM
I have been really busy this month.  I have been working day and night 7 days a week.  The most time I have taken off is 1/2 day.  I have been hoping for a break.  The phone stopped ringing yesterday.  I have received only junk emails.  Now I am worried that I will not have enough business.  I guess you can't win in this business. … (9 comments)

Some interesting Reno Sparks statistics - 01/17/08 10:52 AM
In the Reno Sparks association there are about 2500 Realtors(R). 
In 2007, in the Reno Sparks area, 3352 single family homes sold, 676 condos sold, 226 manufactured homes sold, 217 parcels of vacant land sold and 65 multi-family properties sold.  For a total of 4536 sales.  The average Realtor got paid on 3.6 sales last year.  The average sales price is about $300,000.
… (1 comments)

I recommended a carpet cleaner. - 01/14/08 12:36 PM
When will I learn?  I had a carpet cleaner clean my house.  He did a good job.  He charged me $300.  A client needed a carpet cleaner.  They are in their 70's.  I recommended him.  He did an ok job.  He charged them $750 for the same size home.  Why can I not find someone who will do a good job 2 times in a row? … (2 comments)

What if it doesn't appraise? - 01/10/08 11:21 AM
There are many new home developements in my area.  One is  building these very nice homes (top of the line), still under construction.  The homes in the neighborhood sell for $200,000 - $250,000.  The new homes will sell for $400,000 and higher.  My question is how do they appraise these homes?  What happens if they don't appraise?   Can the builder force the buyer to give up their deposit or make the purchase? … (5 comments)

What is your purpose in blogging? - 01/10/08 10:59 AM
Are you using blogging as advertising?  Are you blogging to get information?  Are you blogging to give information?  Are you blogging for points?  Are you blogging for fun?  Are you blogging to get someone to listen to you (I have two teenagers)?  Are you blogging to start a discussion?  Are you blogging to make friends?   Are you blogging to stir up the pot? … (16 comments)

BPOs and FSBOs - 01/09/08 05:58 PM
I've had two BPOs this week which were homes that sold as FSBOs six months ago.   The timing indicates something strange to me.  Did someone buy the home from the FSBO with no money down and had the FSBO take a second as a down payment?  They then collect rent until the bank forecloses?   Or am I too suspicious?  … (10 comments)

How long do you try something that isn't working for you? - 01/09/08 06:35 AM
You decide to try something new, mailing to a geographic farm, door knocking, calling fsbo's, advertising in a new magazine, etc.  It doesn't seem to generate any results.  Do you keep it up for a year, six months, 1 time, or what?  Does your answer change if the activity costs time vs money? … (7 comments)

Bloggers who respond after every comment - 01/08/08 02:58 PM
One thing that bugs me is bloggers who respond after every comment.  It is like they have to get the last word in or they have lost the discussion.  They make their point in the blog and then repeat it in the comment.  If you comment about this, I promise not to respond. … (30 comments)

How are banks pricing REOs? - 01/06/08 11:04 AM
These are 2300 sq ft homes.  They are about 5-6 years old.   At the top of the market they sold for $300,000-320,000.  They are currently being sold for $250,000 - $270,000.  A couple of these homes are REOs.  The banks have started them at $250,000.  A couple of weeks later they are $240,000.  Next comes $230,000 and then $220,000.  I curious as to how the banks are pricing homes in other areas.
… (6 comments)

Let it Snow - 01/05/08 06:15 PM
It looks like I'm going to be snowed in for a few days.  Any suggestions for what I should do?  Take a couple of days off and just relax from home?  Catch up on my paperwork?  Do a lot of phone calls.  Watch all of the shows that I've TIVOed?  Read a book?  What do you think?  I'm open for suggestions. … (11 comments)

Basic Training - 01/05/08 04:05 PM
Many people write about how good their company is with basic training.  I think my training was unique.  I was originally licensed in California and had basic training (#1) there.  I moved to Nevada and my new company insisted that I go through basic training (#2).  After I had finished, they fired the trainer and hired a new one.  They had us go through basic training again (#3).  Here is what I learned from the different training.
OPEN HOUSES
1.  Open houses are wonderful.  They are a cheap way to get started in business.  We had a two hour class on how to do … (7 comments)

Important blogs or fun blogs - 01/04/08 06:25 PM
I have noticed an interesting phenomena.  When I write a blog that I think is important, nobody pays attention, nobody comments.  But if I write something for fun, I get twenty comments.  I guess people are more interested in fun.  My favorite blogs are those that somebody writes just work hard and everything will be ok.  Fifty people respond and agree. … (6 comments)

BPO Verbiage - 01/04/08 02:48 PM
I recently had a BPO with very few good comps.  They sent it back saying get better comps.  I called them and discussed it with the manager.  We (mostly she) came up with the following verbiage to but into the BPO when this type of problem exists.
"A search of the area MLS system found a total of 8 current listings within 10 miles of the subject. Of these,2 were deemed incomparable due to size, location, style, lot size or other factors. Of the 6 remaining, the 3 listing comps used in this report  were as close in all parameters as possible … (7 comments)

Blogs posted 3 times - 01/02/08 10:14 AM
Yesterday I wrote a blog in the morning.  It took a long time to post.  After it posted I shut off the computer and left.  I did not hit enter 3 times but it was posted 3 times.  On my points summary, I have points for 2 blogs yesterday and one blog today.  I have seen it many times on other people's blogs.  By the time I discovered it, people had made comments to all 3 blogs.   ActiveRain, please fix this. 
… (5 comments)

Is blogging for points bad? - 01/01/08 12:05 PM
I have seen several comments about people blogging just to get points.  If someone does it, they get a higher ranking and a slightly better chance of getting a lead.  Is that bad?  Is that wrong?  I keep on reading posts about working smarter not harder.  Isn't that what the people are doing? … (19 comments)

Is blogging for points bad? - 01/01/08 12:05 PM
I have seen several comments about people blogging just to get points.  If someone does it, they get a higher ranking and a slightly better chance of getting a lead.  Is that bad?  Is that wrong?  I keep on reading posts about working smarter not harder.  Isn't that what the people are doing? … (3 comments)

Long blogs or short blogs. - 01/01/08 11:29 AM
I write short blogs.  I make my point and stop.  I used to die in school when the teacher said write a five page essay.  I cannot write five pages on anything.  Others write long blogs.  They are just warming up at the five page mark.  Which do you like better, the long blogs or the short blogs? … (13 comments)

The 12% solution? - 01/01/08 09:55 AM
Yesterday a friend of mine told me that he had read an article which stated that last year (2007) 12% of the real estate agents didn't sell a single home.  We then discussed part time real estate agents, agents with another job, semi retired agents etc.  Afterwards I thought about it.  If these are the people who are leaving the industry, they are not my competition, they didn't sell any homes.  … (12 comments)

A bigger piece of the pie - 01/01/08 09:34 AM
Last month, Dec 2007, there were 196 sale of single family homes in Reno/Sparks Nevada.  There are about 2500 real estate agents in this area.  There is nothing that any of the agents can do to increase that number to 197.  Working harder won't change it, working smarter won't change it.  The only thing that I can do is try to get a bigger piece of the pie. … (2 comments)

 
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Matt Kofsky

Reno, NV

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Transaction Realty 500 Reno, Nv.

Address: 6121 Lakeside Dr, Suite 101, Reno, Nv, 89521

Cell Phone: (775) 240-4663

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