I know its 2 am in NY... But it seems this is the only time I can actually get work done peacefully and efficiently.

I recently launched my blog - outside of A/R - called the The 411. I was hoping to have links from my website to others in NY outside of Hudson Valley, {Westchester and NYC please apply}. I was also hoping to link with people from all 50 states.

This poses two benefits: our link exchange will somehow improve our visibility on the internet and will provide a reference for relocations we stumble upon. I know just about every company has their own relocation division - but I also know that ERA is not in every neighborhood in the country. So if I have to sacrifice an affiliation to refer good business to good people - so be it.

I am asking that whoever responds to this email please know that in NY, when we must refer 3-4 people to ensure we aren't steering anyone in any direction. So no, you will not be exclusive on my blogsite or website but the whole point is you never know. I also know that AR has its own referral page. But I'll use that to fill in any blanks I have.

I really wanted to build a good list of individuals dedicated to Real Estate. So please if you are going to exchange a link with me - please provide a working website and email address/contact number. I want to make sure that you stay in business as I update my site monthly. If you are thinking about quitting the business in the next 3 weeks - you need not exchange. Please have a website that is actively updated. If you don't have a website send my your AR page. If you are sending your blog link - please make sure your blog is current too.

It would be horrible if I referred business to an agent who doesn't put the best foot forward in presentation. In fact, just by referring it could be a bad reflection on me. So yes, I will be checking the links to make sure they are active sites. I will probably check once a month. NY is getting more and more expensive by the minute and I am coming across more and more people wanted to relocate from this $3.11 a gallon nightmare we are going through.

So shoot me back a reply if interested. Wow! 1,808 online right now and its 2:33 Sunday Morning EST. I love it this business }:>)

Recently I visited to local BMW dealership in our area in search for a new affordable but sleek looking vehicle. I was a little wary of going to BMW because I didn't want to step outside of my budget for the car. However, my husband, a BMW-aficionado, and certified BMW technician lured me to check out the new X5.

So we started out the day at Volvo, then Volkswagen, then Toyota, Jeep than finally BMW. The sales people at each location were all very polite (surprisingly) but clearly scavenger hunting. Some so rushed that it was clear they could care less if I was comfortable or not.

By the time I arrived at BMW, I was tired, hungry and a bit agitated. I just wanted to get in, get the info and get out. As I walked through the glass double doors into the world of perceived automobile luxury, I was greeted! I, mean, really greeted: professionally.  The gentleman shook my hand as he introduced himself and gave me the eye contact I needed to feel assured that he was dealing with me, not necessarily my husband. He asked me if I have ever "experienced" a BMW before. I was taken aback. EXPERIENCE? I replied, "you mean, drove one?" He took me off guard. He confirmed "yes, experienced it!" No one that day ever put it like that. So I told him about my rides backing out my husbands car out of the driveway but that was all.

So in an effort to cut all the questions short, I told him to run down the features of the X5 so that I can go home and compare. He said he could do that, but it wouldn't help me better understand what BMW had to offer. In my mind I thought - this guy is good - he's smooth. He suggested I test drive the X5 so I can better comprehend the features. "There's nothing better than feeling the power of the car yourself - than you can compare." Made sense. I dissuaded people all day from letting me test drive. But something about the way he illustrated the car made me feel like I HAD to drive it. I want to know what he meant by experience it.

Long story short, I drove it up and down Route 59 and returned back to the dealer by the major highway 287. I was impressed not only about the jeep but also with his skill - it wasn't forced, it wasn't scavenger, it wasn't dull and predictable. It was sincere. As I drove, he pointed out the features and characteristics of the car, compared it to others on the road and it made me trust him. I took great note of his skills, his tone and inflection, his warm matter-of-factness. At the end of our journey, I didn't pick up the car. But he made the experience all the more worthwhile. In fact, out of the whole day, he was more memorable than anyone else. So what's the point? I didn't buy the SUV. But I like the BMW way more just cause the way he introduced it to me. If I do have an urge to replace my car next week, it would be hands down - him and the X5.

How does this relate? I visited an open house yesterday. A darling of a house. Early 1900 mini-estate. All original well kept details. But as I entered, the sales person assumed I was with the gentleman that walked in 5 minutes before me. There were barely any lights on and the sales rep sat in the kitchen completing their calendar and address book as people look on. There were alot of treats in that home, treats only a trained eye would look for, catch and appreciate. The window covering blocked all the light in the home - literally we were in the dark. All the person could say is that the home had X many bedrooms and X many bath at XXX price. It was their listing and this was the service that they were giving their clients and the customers. WOW.

So I called my husband, as I often do, on great deals like this and asked him to scurried over and take a peek. He was amazed at the potential gold mine and disappointed about the service level. He instantly said, this agent needs to meet Rick and really learn how to test drive these buyers here today. I smiled in agreement. Mental note to self: if you aren't allowing buyers to "experience" the home, than you are doing a disservice to your clients and customers, alike. You got to show interest in the home that you are selling as well as an interest in the needs of the customers. They just might become a client.

There is a difference between showing homes and allowing buyers to experience homes. You respect and appreciate features of a home by detailing and illustrating benefits to a home not features. BENEFITS SELL, FEATURES TELL.  Get the help of a HomeMarketing Specialist {or become one}, professional Photographer and/or a Stager. Make key features prominent in a home, draw their eyes to it - don't have them search for it.Because today's market is flooded with inventory, make it easy for them to discern your home from others. Use color, use staging, get your home relocation ready. Tell them a short story about this home; people love stories and it helps them remember you, the house, the details. You'd be amazed how people fall in love with the storyline and want to continue to timeline. 

On that note, I think I will revisit my buddy Rick at BMW. Maybe thatA X5 is much, but I will reconsider the X3. :)

Forget about it being a Buyer's Market or a Seller's Market - It's an Agent's Market.

Well, I never heard of that. NAR is not mentioning anything of the sort -  Janessa... what does that mean?

An Agent's Market simply means its time for Professional, Business-Savvy, Market-Savvy, Serious sales people, associates and real estate people to stand up. Its time to bring out the Realtors; the real Realtors. Real Realtors may not have been in this business for over a decade, but they know how to be flexible and adapt to change. Real Realtors may not be tech gadgets but they can service their customers and clients by providing real time information through the use of technology. Real Realtors wear their pin with pride and not out of whim; they embody professionalism when out in public because they know, like I know, real estate is still and always be a hot topic - so  you never know when you are going to get a client - so dress like you are always in business.

A Real Realtor supplies current information, facts and figures. Real Realtors don't rely on their affiliation or broker to make them look good - they make their affiliation look good. It doesn't matter if you started in 2006 or 1996 or 1776, you deliver as promised because as Warren Buffett says "It will take a lifetime to build a reputation but only one moment to lose it." Realtors run their business as a business and not a hobby.

So for every halftime agent {notice I said half-time, not part-time}, there's one of us, to clean up the mess left behind by giving false, inaccurate, outdated information. For every agent who decided to list a home grossly over-priced, disserviced the client, lied about their promise, there is a real agent who will tell you the truth and your options with every decision.

SELLERS - please note that placing your home on the market  makes it a commodity; a proverbial stock viable to be sold by an agent of your choice. Your agent or your stock exchange trader can proactively sell  your home by networking and cooperating with other agents from the same or different brokers or they can simply take 1-5 pictures, place it on the net, cross their fingers and hope. They can make you feel there is activity by hosting week by week open houses - with little to minimum activity. OR you can hire an aggressive trader/Realtor who uses "Spokes in a Wheel" marketing (see more of my blogs to understand), offer incentives to qualified buyers, secures your sale with pre-emptive strikes (ask for more details) and remain on top of the market in regards to pricing, staging and what's really moving. Not a bunch of market stats that is difficult to read and even if you could read it, what does it all mean? What is the bottom line? Because that's what we are hired for, to read the logistics and get to the bottom line!

BUYERS - We are knee deep in the information age and with venues like DSL and CABLEVISON and other Optic internet providers, you have information literally at your fingertips, in mere seconds. Its amazing how irritated some can be when the page takes too long to reload or refresh. We are in a "want and want it yesterday" society -fast decisions, fast information falls in line with our fast foods and fast cars. So why request information from an agent that on average {according to NAR} take 64 hours to respond back to your initial request. NAR states that over 50% of inquiries made by customers looking to be clients are never responded. That's bad business and bad for business. Why settle for someone who can't bridge the gap? You don't. Professional Realtors, like myself, are always connected. The internet, for me, is never more than 10 minutes away.  These online tools keep me accessible to help keep you informed.

The bottom line is Realtors - we have all the tools we need to be a professional. If we are not using them, then what is the use? Does the market change frequently, YES! But its our jobs to, at least, stay on top of it if you can't stay in front of it. Showing market reports to clients tells that you work very well with Excel and are probably software sufficient - but they need more than that. They need a local expert and if you are doing this everyday, day in and day out, than who better to call an expert. If you're not, but are looking to become one, pair up with someone who is, learn the ropes and branch out. Become Accountable. Because if you do, it doesn't matter what they call it - the Market would still be yours.

" Sharon Tucker adds Janessa Mondestin as a new Associate to Realty Group. Janessa services Buyers and Sellers interested in the Town of Ramapo and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York. " For_Immediate_Release: United States of America (Press Release) March 30, 2008 -- NANUET, NEW YORK 3/29/08 — ERA Tucker Associates, Inc recently announced the addition of Janessa Mondestin to its team of real estate sales professionals serving consumers in the Ramapo and Clarkstown area. Ms. Mondestin has a strong background in Commercial Banking and Mortgage Industry which she worked for 7 years. She has been a Realtor since 2006 serving Rockland and Orange County. She has an excellent education from Fordham University and Pace University. Her motto is “Service above self” and considering that a majority of her business is based on referrals from clients and colleagues Janessa Mondestin demonstrates her ability to thrive to today’s market. "We're delighted to have Janessa join our winning team," said Sharon Tucker, Broker. "She brings tremendous experience and proven leadership that will certainly benefit our company and our customers." As part of ERA Tucker Associates, Mondestin will be able to offer homebuyers and sellers a wide variety of valuable products and services including online listings, home warranty plans, the ERA Sellers Security Plan and more. ERA Franchise Systems LLC is a global leader in the residential real estate industry with more than 30 years experience in developing consumer-oriented products and services. Since 1977, ERA Real Estate has teamed up with the Muscular Dystrophy Association in its fight against neuromuscular diseases, raising more than $30 million. The ERA network includes more than 38,000 brokers and sales associates and approximately 3,000 offices throughout the United States and 44 other countries and territories. Each office is independently owned and operated except offices owned and operated by NRT Incorporated. ERA Franchise Systems LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, the world's largest real estate franchisor. ERA Franchise Systems LLC information is available to consumers at ERA.com. For more information: Janessa Mondestin, Salesperson Sharon Tucker, Broker of Record 8 College Rd Nanuet, NY 10954 Phone:(845) 623-5200 Fax: (845) 623-5244 www.MyRocklandHome.Com www.TuckerEra.com

Chasing vs. Serving

What looks to be the ‘easy path' is really the difficult path.

"Mike, that makes little sense, what are you talking about?"

Watch humanity.

Seriously, watch humanity, including what I call ‘ business
opportunity grasshoppers', people who jump from opportunity to
opportunity every few months.

Humanity seeks to make money. Have you ever met a person who
‘made money'?

We don't make or print money, we EARN MONEY.

More than that, we even attract money, more on this in a second.

Most of the globe seeks to make money through CHASING MONEY.

Chasers long for the dollar and always seem to end up with a
penny.

Chasers desire ‘get rich quick' methods and see people as pawns
in their grand schemes.

Most people have spent time as a ‘chaser' before realizing the
failure of that way of living.

To many, the ‘easy path' is the longing for the dollar at any
cost. What they later discover is that path is the difficult,
long road to riches.

The journey to confident living and financial riches is going
from chasing to serving.

Read this again.

The journey to confident living and financial riches is going
from chasing to serving.


Success is service.

Success is the transferring of value and solutions to problems,
to someone else.

You attract money through organizing your knowledge, taking
action, with the aim of service/value. Profit will follow.

Chasers are selfish. They barely scrape by.

Servers are unselfish. They always have more than they need.

Those who desire to serve have something even more important
than money.

Inner peace. There's a inner peace you receive through service.

Service is based on one of nature's greatest laws. The LAW of
sowing and reaping.

Lose yourself into your prospects and customers.

Create real value for them. LOVERAGE them.

As you commit to this ‘way', you'll also see an increase in your
character and self esteem.

We all have a ‘get rich quick' side of us. Beware of it.
Sometimes you don't even see it, though it's there.

Slow down. Relax. Allow yourself to plant success seeds in your
life and business.

The harvest will happen.

Surround yourself with servers, not chasers.

What can you give today? Whom can you serve?

Love Ya! You're The Best!

Posted by  Derrick Carpenter in North Bergen NJ. He writes a post every week called Start with the End in Mind on Blogspot. This a little ditty his coach, Mike, wrote but he sent this to me on myspace and I wanted to share it with you, my peers and fellow readers.

Chasing vs. Serving

What looks to be the ‘easy path' is really the difficult path.

"Mike, that makes little sense, what are you talking about?"

Watch humanity.

Seriously, watch humanity, including what I call ‘ business
opportunity grasshoppers', people who jump from opportunity to opportunity every few months.

Humanity seeks to make money. Have you ever met a person who ‘made money'?

We don't make or print money, we EARN MONEY.

More than that, we even attract money, more on this in a second.

Most of the globe seeks to make money through CHASING MONEY.

Chasers long for the dollar and always seem to end up with a
penny.

Chasers desire ‘get rich quick' methods and see people as pawns in their grand schemes.

Most people have spent time as a ‘chaser' before realizing the
failure of that way of living.

To many, the ‘easy path' is the longing for the dollar at any
cost. What they later discover is that path is the difficult,
long road to riches.

The journey to confident living and financial riches is going
from chasing to serving.

Read this again.

The journey to confident living and financial riches is going
from chasing to serving.


Success is service.

Success is the transferring of value and solutions to problems, to someone else.

You attract money through organizing your knowledge, taking
action, with the aim of service/value. Profit will follow.

Chasers are selfish. They barely scrape by.

Servers are unselfish. They always have more than they need.

Those who desire to serve have something even more important than money.

Inner peace. There's a inner peace you receive through service.

Service is based on one of nature's greatest laws. The LAW of
sowing and reaping.

Lose yourself into your prospects and customers.

Create real value for them. LOVERAGE them.

As you commit to this ‘way', you'll also see an increase in your character and self esteem.

We all have a ‘get rich quick' side of us. Beware of it.
Sometimes you don't even see it, though it's there.

Slow down. Relax. Allow yourself to plant success seeds in your life and business.

The harvest will happen.

Surround yourself with servers, not chasers.

What can you give today? Whom can you serve?

When you're buying a home, buy with no major repair worries – choose a house covered by the ERA Home Protection Plan® *. It's your best protection against costly, unexpected repair bills after closing. The ERA Home Protection Plan is an exclusive ERA® program to protect you against expensive repair or replacement costs when the major working components in your new home break down: water heater...furnace...built-in appliances...electrical wiring...central air conditioning...exposed duct work...interior plumbing system and fixtures. Your protection lasts for a full year from the date of purchase on a previously owned home, with the option to renew. Homes protected by the ERA Home Protection Plan sell 15% faster on average. As an added bonus, the plan also protects sellers the same way. While your home is on the market, the same major components are covered until the day of sale – or a maximum of 180 days. So relax. Not only will you have peace of mind regarding unexpected repairs, but you also increase the chances that your home will sell faster at a better value. The ERA Home Protection Plan is another reason why we say, at ERA, "We're Selling Houses."® -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Costs, conditions and limitations apply. See contract for complete terms and conditions. Offered and administered by American Home Shield.

 

Shop Online, Anytime - ERA.com, an award-winning consumer Web site, provides buyers and sellers access to homes for sale around the world at any time of the day or night. The site provides a virtual open house for every listing, with up to eight photos, virtual tours and a full description. ERA.com allows customers to look through listings, by a variety of search criteria based on their needs, to find their dream home. Phone In, Move In - ERA Mortgage offers home financing the easy way. By calling a toll-free number, ERA® customers receive free pre-approval, can follow a paperless application process, and get a money-back service guarantee. Protection From Unexpected Home Repairs - ERA Real Estate was the first franchise of its type to offer a national home warranty plan. For more than two decades, the ERA® Home Protection Plan® has given millions of buyers and sellers peace of mind when they need it most. The Home Protection Plan covers many of the built-in appliances and systems in a house from the time the property is listed until an entire year after its sale. We Will Sell Your House, or ERA Will Buy It!® - No other national real estate brand offers a program like the ERA Sellers Security® Plan, which combines an equity advance and a guaranteed sale plan. This provides qualified sellers with the comfort of knowing that their house will sell at a pre-agreed price - one less hassle when relocating. One-Stop Shopping - ERA® Select Services is the one-stop resource available to consumers for the lifetime of homeownership. This program provides them with the benefits of convenient and cost-saving offers through a wide range of high-quality, professional providers - from mortgage services to satellite TV - nationally and locally.

© ERA Franchise Systems, Inc. todos los derechos reservados. Cada oficina de la ERA® se posee y se funciona independientemente.

 

When you call, tell them Janessa sent you....

Janessa Mondestin - the next level of Real Estate Service.....

 

A real estate transaction is more than just managing an intricate process - it's about you, the client, your needs and the future of your investment. With so much at stake, Janessa Mondestin is the one you want to represent you.   She is passionate about real estate and committed to providing value-added service, critical information and genuine advice. This market-savvy professional puts her clients' satisfaction above all else and delivers with integrity, honesty and diligence.

Competent

To begin, she utilizes the power of a creative, well-orchestrated and highly effective marketing plan that maximizes property exposure to the most qualified buyers. Simply put, she doesn't list your home for sale, she proactively sells it. For Janessa, it's important to secure the most able buyer that is most likely to close. Her fair yet aggressive negotiating style and firm consideration of the clients' best interests have gained her respect with colleagues and clients alike.

Art of Communication

Clear communication is imperative from beginning to end. Whether it's patiently guiding first-time homebuyers, or keeping clients' informed long after the transaction is over, Janessa's warm and caring personality matched by her sound advice works towards your advantage. Her hands-on activities and cutting edge approach makes her a market leader and you, the client, always a winner in the transaction.

Dynamic

Janessa grew up in Rockland County and has a deep appreciation for the Hudson Valley. She graduated with honors from Fordham University. Like many Realtors, Janessa's professional background is rooted in the Financial industry where she learned to adaptive and flexible. Her insight gained from her experience in bringing all components of a production together smoothly has granted her a unique perspective on and approach to the real estate industry. Her enthusiasm and tenacity has earned her many client referrals and repeat business. A homeowner in Rockland County, Janessa is truly dedicated to upholding the integrity of the Rockland communities.

I have come across sellers who feel that with a sluggish market right now, an overstock of inventory and an inevitable economic cash crunch staring us in the face, they shouldn't have to remodel or stage their homes for sale...

I think that's silly and a poor decision. Real estate, much like a sport, is a competition. A sluggish market means buyers can take their time making their decision. An overstock of inventory means you are in fierce competition. Competition? Against who? You are competing your home against another one on the same block. on the next block, in the next town over that has grade A schools, lower taxes, more amenities, etc... Or you can easily be competing with the person across the street.

I had a seller once who refused to update the wallpaper in her kitchen that was there since 1982. Believe it -1982 and she had the stains to prove it! You know what I am talking, you've seen homes like this.

Just because it doesn't bother you, doesn't mean it doesn't bother a stranger - a stranger who is fistful of cash ready, and able to buy your much-needed-to-be-sold home. But the question is if you aren't willing to put the right foot forward, why should they be willing to put theirs?

Unfortunately, what winds up happening is you allow buyers to have negotiation rights. They negotiate you down because of simple upgrades. A coat of paint and one weekend worth of work might equal thousands of dollars out of your pocket. Why give someone a reason to take hard-earned equity out of your pocket?

Once your home is on the market, it is like anything else for sale; it's a commodity. You wouldn't purchase penny stocks for a hundred dollars. No! You would want to purchase stocks and commodities as close to value as possible. So why would real estate be any different?

This doesn't necessarily mean that your house won't sell, because it will eventually. But truth be told, the longer a home stays on the market the less likely it will sell for its original asking price. If your agent isn't giving you, the absorption rate for your area or doesn't understand it - they are doing you a disservice.

Check out Brett Carmen's blog on Trump University's online school of real estate for his opinion on updating before selling....

Should I Update Before Trying to Sell?

Posted by Brett Carman on 3/12/2008 at 11:03 AM
Posted in Real Estate

When deciding to sell a home in today's market, investors and homeowners alike often ask me to tell them what they should do about updating their home and what will give them the most "return on investment". According to the National Association of Realtors' "Cost vs. Value" Report, the average returns for most updates/ remodels yields between 65%-95% nationwide. The trouble with using these figures is that in any given area of the country, there could be more or less demand for the type of updates needed. DO refer to the Cost vs. Value Report to see the average demand for particular types of updates, however. 

There are a few reasons why you should take these statistics with a "grain of salt" and not as an absolute truth. For instance, the quality of the work could have a lot to do with how much profit or loss is yielded. We all have seen homes that people have "claimed" to be updated only to find ourselves wondering how bad it must have been before the work was done! If you have a competency for knowing what appeals to the masses in terms of potential updates, then there is a good likelihood you can still make money in real estate on your remodeling efforts. 

Next, your proficiency at obtaining quality but inexpensive labor and materials can attribute to your profits/losses when it comes to measuring your "R.O.I." If you are handy and take advantage of local surplus inventory stores to get your materials, your base investment will obviously lower than someone who hires an expensive contractor to do the work. Taking this type of cost reducing strategy can definitely assist you in being more successful with a fix and flip business model.

Finally, the localized competition in the area could dictate whether or not you should spend the money to remodel before selling. If there are several like properties in the area for sale that need updating and you can differentiate yours by spending a little to make yours move-in ready for someone, then do it! However, if doing this would make yours exceed the highest sale price in the neighborhood, then maybe you should just "stage" the home to be the most appealingly decorated of the group. This will avoid you having problems getting the home to appraise once you do get a contract from a buyer.