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carolyn nelson: Laws Regarding the Licensed and Unlicensed Real Estate Assistant - 05/28/13 09:56 AM
Many agents have decided that the alternative route to hiring an in-house licensed assistant is to hire an unlicensed assistant, which is great news for those of us that provide services to real estate brokers and agents around the US and Canada. However, with the practice an assistant, licensed or unlicensed, there are state laws that outline what task your assistant can and cannot perform. How do you locate the laws outlining the tasks your assistant can and cannot perform? Visit the Real Estate Commission or Department of Real Estate for your state.
In most states, the unlicensed assistant cannot contact … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Should you Submit Your Final Utility Bill if it shows a Credit? YES! - 01/15/13 05:35 AM
Should you submit your final utility bill if is shows a Credit? Yes if you paid a deposit and the final bill was deducted from the deposit on account.
I'm always amazed at the number of reimbursements that are not submitted for reasons that are sometimes, not justified and more suprised with the number of asset companies and banks that take advantage of agents that are not paying attention to this small detail that can cost them thousands of dollars annually.
It is simple, when you pay a deposit to connect the utility at a property, the utility company will keep … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Your Contact List Can Bring Success - 11/14/12 08:34 AM
Your Contact List Can Bring Success!
This is the time of year that many find out that the contacts on their list has changed their information or have move on to the lure of another agent. Well, it happens but, what measures did you take during the other 364 days to prevent this result?
Neglecting your contact list is not a good business practice. Your contact list serves multiple purposes. It serves as a lead for a new sale or purchase, and it serves as your #1 source for referrals.
It is imperative that you remain in contact with your past … (4 comments)
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carolyn nelson: 15 Common Short Sale Mistakes Made - 08/12/12 09:13 AM
Not having a system in place. Having a system in place is necessary to manage your short sale files. Documents and information can easily be misplaced when it is not stored or shared properly. Whether working solo or with an assistant or team, you should always have a manageable system in place that will allow you to provide your client exceptional service. With programs such as Drop Box, Box.net, office Silverlight, SugarSync, Evernote, Google Docs, and more, being able to access files online has been made easier. Pacifying the Homeowner. Don’t pacify the short sale process and requirement with the homeowner. Fear … (4 comments)
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carolyn nelson: My Featured Program: EZ Coordinator - 06/12/12 11:59 AM
FEATURED PRODUCT: EZ Coordinator EZ Coordinator is a robust transaction management platform for real agents, transaction coordinators and brokers. It provides all the tools necessary to manage your transactions and eliminate paper. It automates dozens of tasks that can streamline the transaction management process, provides file auditing, task management, document storage and much more. The system lives in the cloud and can be accessed anywhere you have an internet connection and from any device, even mobile phones. And it’s 100% free for agents.
I have been using this software for several months now........it is awesome. I especially like that fact that … (1 comments)
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carolyn nelson: The Challenges of Creating a Team - 02/15/12 02:32 PM
Creating an office team may look good on paper however, implementing from paper to people may result in issues, problems, and conflicts that you never imagined. Adding an offsite real estate assistant to an already formed or in progress office could add additional stress to the current office relationship with in-house staff members and procedures if the instruction is not held delicately.
When opting to create a team and assigning job responsibilities to the current and tentative staff, it is very important that the broker or team leader carefully introduce the roles of each team member as well as assure beforehand, … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Why Do I Like Broker Brain For REO Agents? - 12/14/11 11:23 AM
Why Do I Like Broker Brain?
I can give you seven reasons why I like Broker Brain.
1. Excellent Customer Service. Even though I have only had the need to contact CS twice to find out more about the program before recommending, customer service was great! Less calls to customer service means the program is not complicated, very user friendly, and minimum assistance is needed (if any at all) to get started.
2. I have found that Broker Brain offers many more features not found in similar products. Features such as emailing, up-to-date notes, related file documents such as utility contracts/agreements, … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Sharing Your Outlook with Your In-House and Virtual Team - 10/13/11 12:17 PM
Once again, another company’s invention to create a way to share your Outlook folders with another person on the other side of the world has made my life easier. I found Shared O several years ago while debating between having a client use an online server or backup and send files via email. Either way, both process was a royal pain and required too much work. It has been close the 3 years and we are still on track.
Shared O allows you to share one or several email, tasks, calendar, and contact folders in a flash. The process is so … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Benefits of using an Online Transaction Management System - 10/05/11 09:18 AM
Benefits of using an Online Transaction Management System:
1. Connects to your Office. You can connect virtually with your office so you can spend less time at your desk. You will have 24/7 access to all of your files.
2. Document Tracking. Allows the Broker and Agent better document tracking methods. With the increasing requirements established by regulatory agencies, brokers and agents must constantly prepare to have all documents available if an audit is required.
3. Efficiency. The integrated nature of OTMS eliminates paperwork. Brokers and Agents can now burn each transaction to CD. Most OTMS will allow the Broker or … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Transaction Management Programs - 10/05/11 08:18 AM
There is a growing trend in using online transaction management programs. But are the programs worth the investment? Sure. However, the program selected is only as good as its users.
Some agents equate price with quality, other equate quality with ease of use. As a transaction coordinator, I prefer to place value on the ease of use and security of information. If your buyers and sellers are stumped with the program and find logging in a chore, it might not be worth it. If your clients, are constantly calling because they are having difficulties uploading or download documents, posting messages/notes, or … (3 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Man possibly targeting female real estate agents - 09/22/11 04:17 PM
KVUE News has learned that Austin police are looking into accusations from local real estate agents all alleging a disturbing experience with an unknown man posing as a client.
April 21, 2011 was the last known incident of a man pretending to be a condo buyer. Real estate workers believe he intended to sexually assault female agents. More info here
… (5 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Determine Your Client's Level of Satisfaction - 09/20/11 04:09 PM
Experienced business professionals know that the key to building a dynamic business is to create referral businesses. How do you convince your current clients to provide you with new leads? How do you convince past clients to come back as repeats? How do you surpass the previous service with new services that will “WOW” the client?
Besides creating a marketing plan, a new layout for your pre-listing presentation, creating a brand, or rolling out a new website, an important key is to provide excellent customer service.
When you have an unhappy clients, the unhappy client doesn’t generally complain, he or she … (1 comments)
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carolyn nelson: 9/11 is a Day to Remember - 09/11/11 05:58 PM
9/11 is a Day to Remember and it was also the same day that 911 experienced the test of all times.
I remember the events of the John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy assassination, the news print of the many earthquakes to hit California, the explosion of the space shuttle, the devastated areas in the Midwest from tornadoes, numerous hurricanes roaring up the eastern seaboard such as Hugo, Enron, the devastation in New Orleans from Katrina, and the first African American president of the USA. Each is a part our history and many will remember for decades to … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Do you invite the Seller to help write the ad content? - 09/07/11 06:56 AM
Now that you have taken the pictures, walked the entire perimeter of the home, scanned outside perimeter and now you are carefully jotting down little notes about the home. Back at the office, you are writing your ad. Hmmm, this home really doesn’t have a lot of features. Maybe it is less attractive than the last home you listed. What do you do?
Ok, this is my theory. Why are you wrecking your brains trying to define the benefits and features of the home? You have probably spent less than 10 hours total in the home! Have your sellers … (1 comments)
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carolyn nelson: REO Tip #7 – Negotiate the Utility Deposits on REO Properties - 08/29/11 06:39 AM
As a general policy, most utility companies will charge real estate agents and brokers several fees to setup services. Such fees may include a deposit, membership fee, admin fee, connection fee, or service inspection fee. While some fees are general and required without exception, there is one fee you should try to negotiate and that is the deposit.
Utility companies generally change on average between $75.00 and $350.00 to open a new account. For the small agent, anything above $100.00 can take a huge chunk out of the budget. Of course, a broker or agent with great credit can … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Quick Links to The City Utility Water Departments - 08/29/11 06:20 AM
Quick Link to The City Utility Departments
While setting up several of a client’s water/sewer utility services in Texas, I came across a site that actually allows you to setup one main account and link it to multiple utility companies that are servicing different cities across the USA. This is a great list for agents in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Check it out, there are other states listed.
The process is easy to setup. You will need the account number and the Tax ID or Last Amount paid on the account. https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/search/services/utilities
This site is highly recommended … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: REO Tip #5 - Setup your Vendor and Utility Bill Online for REOs - 08/26/11 06:09 PM
One of the dilemmas often faced by brokers and agents is keeping track of the utility bills once it is in the mail and/or once it is on your desk among the pile of other invoices, contracts, bids, BPOs, and the mass of other forms the broker and agent see on a daily basis.
One way to combat this problem is to register your utility accounts online. Most utility companies will setup your account as a commercial account. This will allow you to setup each property account in one main account.
Do not send your utility bill to … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: REO Tip #6 – Save Money, Don't Waste Money on REO Late Fees! - 08/26/11 04:16 PM
REO Tip #6 – Save Money and Not Waste Money on Late Fees!
For the single agent or small REO brokerage, access to money is not always easy and there are times when you may need to delay payment on certain invoices. However, when you decided to join the ranks of the thousands of other agents in the REO industry, you elected to take the bull by the horns and accept the financial terms set forth by the asset management companies.
Several Keys to Help You Save on Late Fees:
· Pay all bills on time.
· Use … (0 comments)
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carolyn nelson: REO Tip #5: Setup your Vendor and Utility Bill Online for REOs - 08/25/11 09:18 PM
One of the dilemmas often faced by brokers and agents is keeping track of the utility bills once it is in the mail and/or once it is on your desk among the pile of other invoices, contracts, bids, BPOs, and the mass of other forms the broker and agent see on a daily basis.
One way to combat this problem is to register your utility accounts online. Most utility companies will setup your account as a commercial account. This will allow you to setup each property account in one main account.
Do not send your utility bill to … (2 comments)
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carolyn nelson: Does your REO Bank have an Emergency Prepardness Plan - 08/25/11 10:54 AM
Does your REO Bank have an Emergency Preparedness Plan? Most do not. When I listing to the weather channel regarding Hurricane Irene, it came to my attention that none of the Asset Manager that the agents and brokers I work with on the east coast has communicated any form of emergency preparedness to the listing agents. Are they under the assumption that some of these dilapidated properties will survive hurricane winds and/or the tornadoes that often spawn off the storms? Are they under the impression that flooding will not occur in the low areas?
Perhaps, the disaster is being welcomed as … (2 comments)
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Carolyn Nelson, REO, Short Sales & Closing Coordinator/Client Services
Online REPA
Durham,
NC
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