I am pleased to announce that she called a Realtor. Me!

I got a phone call from a friends mom. It's been many years since I've seen her. She's 75 now with a two story row home. The stairs are not a challenge yet but she fears that soon they will be. Two years ago she lost a husband and a son. She's lost without them and unsure of which way to turn. We've all heard it before. The elder having to leave their homes for one reason or another after living there for most their lives.

An apartment became available, almost next store. How perfect for this women. She doesn't have to leave her neighbors but she would have to sell her home. The decision is her's, all her's, her's alone. She was desperate. The man that owned the apartment promised to rent it to her without raising the rent for TWO Years and all she had to do was sell her home to him. What a great deal! Oh my Gosh! I told her not to sign anything until she spoke to me. I went right over gladly with the comps for her home. She continued to tell me all about her home and how everything was updated and all new, including central air in a 85 year old row home. The home was wonderful with a value of at least $179,900 maybe higher. The man offered her $110,000!!!Did I mention he would only charge 1% for the closing cost too? What a guy! He told her that the pealing plaster in the basement was of great concern. He said her foundation was caving in!! The cost was going to be high for the repairs. You know it still took me and another friend who had knowledge on these old basements to convince her her home was fine and every-bit worth $179,900 if I put it on the market today.

 This would be her life savings. He wanted to take it all.

I convinced her! She never did put it on the market and she didn't sell it to him either. She feels that since she can still do the steps maybe one more year in her fine home is going to be OK. Decisions are very hard to make when you are alone for the first time. I feel sorry for her but I will be watching!!

          

I just got a great tip from a very nice agent in my office.

I always wondered where everyone was getting all their images. I was told to go to http://www.google.com/ and click on images. You can search anything you want and it is there.  

 We've all learned about the purple cow influence, right?

 

                                  

How about the home that needs a little TLC.

Should I  get out of my car to show your home?

How about the home with a security system?

                                                                             

I recently wrote a note on "How much are you worth?" It brought up a different discussion that I would like to address.

First, I want to thank everyone for their understanding on my last blog. All of your opinions has made me realize that I am not in this alone and what is important is finding the right home for my buyer. Well since I got all your advise I made a special attempt to contact my client to try to move their showing up because I know that there has been a lot of showings on this home and I didn't want them to miss out on my account. They feel "THIS IS THE ONE"

But what I want to address this time is the Buyers Agency Agreement, do you use it? Most of you told me you do and I don't anymore. I feel why bother because in all honestly what is it worth? If the buyers don't want to work with you and go somewhere else why would you want to work with them? The document will most likely go in the trash and eventually you will get over it, of course depending on the time you spent with them may be the level of anger.

I do discuss the contract by telling them I won't be using one. I speak about loyalty. I let them know that I get paid by commission only and it is my job to make this search for a home as pleasurable as can be. They seem to respect that of me and in return they let me know they understand and I always get their loyalty. However, I never speak about the commission amount which is something I guess I need to discuss in this market.

 

Thank you all very much!

Easter is right around the corner. I have been invited by a relative of my son's wife. It should be cool. I heard that the home that we will be using doesn't belong to the person doing the inviting. She is house sitting. I believe it to be a nice and very large home. Should be interesting.

Do you realize that holidays like Easter and Christmas, maybe 4th of July are our only days off. I feel guilty if I'm not working any other day. I never say I can't work but no one ever asked on those holidays. So Happy Easter to everyone! Enjoy your day off!

I have a 2005 Toyota Highlander. Does anyone have one? It's a lease, easy payments, but my lease is up. The one thing that this car has that no other has is door pockets that you can fit your legal size documents and folders. Slides right in. No-more falling around the car, on the floor, scattered where ever. I didn't want to part with it. No problem I thought. I will go lease another Toyota, not a problem right? Oh my gosh! the door has changed. The pockets are gone!!! No where to put my folders anymore. The sales guy grabbed his head and made fun of my disappointment. I wanted to put his head in that little hole that they call storage on the door. It's gone!!! If I buy it out my payment will be much higher. What do I do? Does anyone else love the Toyota Highlander for it's pockets?

I understand that advertising is the way to get yourself noticed. Whether new clients or old clients you need to make sure they know you are around. Oh sure, I sent out the "Just Sold" and "Just Listed" postcards and flyer's, doesn't everyone?

I went to a company meeting once and one of our top producers mentioned that she spends this incredible amount of money on advertising. My thoughts at that time was why would she do that? I don't spend near that much. I don't sell near as much as her either.

Well this is the year I will do what I can to get my name out there. I have help, a grandson, who is willing to help. He comes to the office with me. Makes the postcards, stuffs the envelopes and coordinates all the scheduling for each to go out. He does get paid but I know he does it because he just loves his grandmom!

Anyone that read my blog about how I bought a new home but when it came down to selling my original home I couldn't do it knows I was then desperate for a renter.

 Yes, I now have two homes and one I can't afford. After talking with several people with more experience then myself, I was told "Rent it". I agreed and started my search. I was nervous about someone living in a place that belongs to me, but what choice did I have, right? I settled on the 15th of Feb and had a goal to have a renter by March 1st.

      ....One night while I was out I received two phone calls from a women that wanted to rent my home. I listened to one message and thought I would return her call in the morning but when I listened to her second message I realized that it didn't matter that it was 10PM, I had to call her. I did call and she yelled my name in excitement that I called. When it was confirmed that my home was where she thought it was she asked if she could rent it without even seeing it. Is this too good to be true, I thought. I went through all the questions...Can you afford my price? Are you willing to have your credit checked? Do you have references? I didn't ask....Do you have pets? My ad did read, "No Pets". What can I say, I'm new at this..

 I met her to show her the place. She was a bit excited, came with her one son, she had two and really wanted to please me. She was trying to do everything right. I got two months security rent up front and she had an aunt for a reference that was a business lady and said if there was any problems she would help in any way she could. While signing the lease it was reveled that she had a cat. Oh know!, I heard all those stories, now what do I do?The renter, "Ms Smith", claimed that she was leaving a boy friend that she lived with and will move her things over slowly. How great was that? She paid starting the 1st of the month and I could continue to paint since I hadn't gotten it done by the 1st as planned.

March 1st, 10 Pm while painting, I got a frantic call from Ms Smith telling me that a truck was on the way she needs to move in tonight and there is another problem, a big favor she needed to ask me. She tells me then that she has another cat that needs to come with her. I went from no pets to two pets, how did that happen so quickly? It's obvious that I wasn't cut out for this.

In 5 mins I had an entire wrestling team and their coaches moving her and her two sons in. What could I do? She paid as of the 1st. I couldn't tell her to leave, right?

Well so far everything is OK, but rent will be due in two weeks......do you think I will get it? Must I get worried every month in hopes of a check? Any advise?

 

FOR RENT....Quakertown Pa. home in very nice area. 3 story town-home. 1st floor garage, powder room and walk out basement. 2nd floor Living room, dining room, sun-room, kitchen with deck. 3rd floor is 3 Beds 2 full baths. All appliances included. Walking distance to town. Walking paths and dog run area.  If interested, write me with questions. Available on March 1st.

How exciting is this? I found a home that gives me most of what I lacked in my original home. I was very excited! It needed some cosmetics, which I am very good at doing and I find it fun. I found that not be an issue. The home was nice with a nice view. How excited I was. I made the big announcement to my colleages that I am putting my home on the market and I am moving. All my co-workers were happy for me..because I complained all the time about what my home lacked. Again, I was so excited!!

I did all we preach about to our clients that are listing their home...DE-CLUTTER and clean. I rented a storage shed and cleaned house. I finished all the started projects in my home and with less then two weeks my home was on the market. I had an Open House. What a success. Several couples came in telling me how wonderful my home was. With all the comments that were made I started to look at my home with new eyes. I started to appreciate all that I did. My home was nice, it really is. Oh my gosh, that night I cried and took it off the market. I am staying here, in my home. Now I have two homes and need to rent one. Hopefully everything is going to work out. What I realized is sometimes the best things in life is right in front of your nose. My home, it's the best home for me.

 Meanwhile, I do have this home to rent. It is in the Quakertown Pa. area. It is a 3 bed 2 1/2 bath, full walkout basement. The home has all the appliances and will be ready to rent the 1st of March. If you want more info please don't hesitate to write to me.

I continue to find interesting information on this website. I hope I have influenced a few people to check it out.

 

Insurance fraud investigators say they are bracing for an outbreak of home arson's set by cash-strapped homeowners looking for insurance money to escape from foreclosure. Homeowners who resort to such tactics face felony charges including arson, conspiracy and fraud. The charges could be much greater if someone is harmed. If the charges stick, homeowners who set their homes ablaze likely will be jailed.

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