Denise 's Blog

Referrals Agent to agent-How would you handle this situation?

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:27:57 -0800

If you are receiving this, please respond to the following question. How do you define referral? Explanation- I have an agent that wants a referral for a client of mine that lives where I do that I have known for 12 years. I live in Coastal North Carolina (New Bern) and so does my client. I had gone out with my client already to see homes and the next meeting we had one of her friends called and wanted a referral for working with her The agent lives in Northern Virginia that is about 350 miles from me and my client. My client works at the same school that my children attended, could call me and my children by name and knew where I lived. I have several clients at that school that had recommended me as an agent. I love to do referrals and have done them on several occasions. I have three transactions that are referrals that I am working with currently, but have never had a situations like this. How would you handle this? Just looking for input from fellow agents

Text Me For More Real Estate Information

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:04:25 -0700

Text Me For More Real Estate Information
Get this Widget

2221 Foxhorn Rd.

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:41:00 -0700

Visit 2214 Foxhorn Rd for information on a great home to purchase

This fantastic family home is ready to move in. It has 3 large bedrooms and 2 baths. The kitchen has enough room for a breakfast table. This home has a formal dining room and living room. The family room has vaulted ceilings with a loft. The backyard is fenced in and spacious for enjoyment for young and old.

Making Your Move

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:42:08 -0700

Did you know that according to the American Moving and Storage Association that the average person moves 12 times in their lifetime? Moving is the third most stressful event in a person's life! In moving, the emotions and feelings of a person and or family could be a rollercoaster of fear, excitment, and a very long to-do list. I know that there are a lot of tips and ideas of how to move. I hope to add a few new ones to enhance your moving adventure primarily with moving with children.

It can be diffucult to decide to move yourself or hire a professional without a corporate paid move. Anyway you look at it, moving is in the details. Moving across town would be less expensive to do it yourself. This can be done with some fun woven into the stress by having a moving party with friends and family. With a long-distance move, it may be worthy of getting a professional to pack and move you the distance. The moving company will have insurance coverage for any items damaged in the move. If you pack and move your own possessions, nothing is insured.

With children they mimic their parents in reaction. Try to remain calm and relaxed around children and reassure them when the movers are there that their things are not being taken, but moved to their new room. Depending on the age, the concept of moving can be misconceived. There have been some good books written for children to assist in the comprehension of what moving really is. Some of the titles are The Berenstain Bears' Moving Dayby Stan and Jan Berenstain, We're Movingby Heather Maisner, Moving Houseby Anne Civardi, I'm Not Moving, Mama!by Nancy White Carlstrom. These books can be bought at the local bookstore, borrowed from the library, or purchased on-line.

Other information can be gained on the web. One of my favorite websites is American Moving and Storage Association website www.moving.org.

Moving can be an adventure. It like all things in life is a mindset. Create as much adventure as possible during the process and most likely your family will draw closer together. If you have older children, they can research their new community. They can scope out restaurants they would like to go to, amusements parks, shopping... let their interests guide them. This activity can create other interest as well. Wether you are moving locally, or 10 hours away, leave some of the boxes packed and go out to connect to your new community daily. This will make the move smooth and decrease stress. Parks are a great way to meet new families with kids the same age as your children and begin new relationships. Parks close to your home will assist in meeting children that may even be in your child's class when beginning their new school.

My family and I have moved 4 times to other cities. We seemed to move everytime my husband and I had a new baby or one on the way. Some of the above items we learned along our moving adventures. If you have other tips or hints to make moving easier, I would love to add them to my file~ just in case we move again or to pass along to my clients Making the Move.

Kindest Regards,

Denise Staton,

Broker, GRI, CRS Member, eAgent

http://www.denisestaton.com

http://www.sellinghomesinnewbern.com

http://www.newbernhomes.info

A Great Hometown~Come Visit Our Hidden Gem

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:04:14 -0700

Welcome to My Town

New Bern and the surrounding areas are the best kept secret in North Carolina. The homes in New Bern can border the coast or sit nestled in a neighborhood setting. That makes this area a wonderful place to raise a family or to retire. For a small coastal area, there is a lot to do. The favorite among the New Bern locals is boating on the twin rivers that run through New Bern and travel to the local beaches. The two rivers that run through New Bern are the Trent and the Neuse Rivers. Leisure boating and fishing are enjoyed regularly in our lovely town. The Downtown area is upscale with a quaint historical flare. The historical homes can be as old as 300 years old. New Bern will be 300 years old in the year 2010. We have a very active Historical Society. Some of the favorite neighborhoods in New Bern are, Tabernia, Trentwoods, Brices Crossing. Our average home sale is $210,000. Our home prices go from $100,000 to $3,000,000. There is something for everyone here and we would love for you to join us for a visit or to move here permanently. As we say in the south, "Y'all come see us!" We mean it too!

Without me reinventing the wheel ~ Tell me what YOU do.

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:37:48 -0700

Selling Real Estate is my passion. The toughest part for me has been to learn the ins and outs of internet marketing without spending my children's college fund to do so. I would like advice from other Realtors that have "been there and done that". I primarily want to focus on my website promotion at this point. From optimizing,to creating content to popular trends. I would like to hear what I can do to capture leads and attention on the internet that 84% or more of our clients are using.

In advance, I appreciate your willingness to share your curve of learning this daunting task on the web. I hope that I will be able to return the favor one day to assist you as well.

Denise Staton -Broker, GRI

www.sellinghomesinnewbern.com

www.denisestaton.com

www.newbernhomes.info

Without me reinventing the Wheel ~ Tell me what YOU do!

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:44:27 -0700

In advance, I appreciate your willingness to share your curve of learning to this daunting task on the web. I hope that I will be able to return the favor one day to assist you as well.

Denise Staton -Broker, GRI

www.sellinghomesinnewbern.com

www.denisestaton.com

www.newbernhomes.info

Without me reinventing the wheel ~ Tell me what YOU do.

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:16:56 -0700

In advance, I appreciate your willingness to share your curve of learning to this daunting task on the web. I hope that I will be able to return the favor one day to assist you as well.

Denise Staton -Broker, GRI

www.sellinghomesinnewbern.com

www.denisestaton.com

www.newbernhomes.info

Without me reinventing the wheel ~ Tell me what YOU do.

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:48:49 -0700

In advance, I appreciate your willingness to share your curve of learning this daunting task on the web. I hope that I will be able to return the favor one day to assist you as well.

Denise Staton -Broker, GRI

sellinghomesinnewbern.com

denisestaton.com

Practicing Good Seller's Etiquette

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:36:30 -0700

This is a blurb that I have on my website to share with potiential listing clients and or give to listing clients to remind them that this is a business that they could be unfortunately taken advantage of in the process of selling one of their most valuable assets ~ their home.

Practicing good seller's etiquette

Let's face it: When your house goes on the market, you're not only opening the door to prospective buyers, but also sometimes to unknown vendors and naïve or unqualified buyers. As with any business transaction, there is an expected protocol to how sellers, buyers and their respective agents interact. Should you find yourself in a sticky situation, alert me as your agent so I can address and remedy the problem.

The aggressive agent
When I put your house on the market, typically all promotional materials state clearly that I am the primary contact for buyers and buyers' agents. However, sometimes a buyer's agent will contact a seller directly to try to either win over their business or cut the seller's agent (me) out of the deal. This is not reputable behavior and you should report it to your agent immediately if it happens to you.

The unscrupulous vendor
Have you ever started a business or moved into a new house and suddenly found your mailbox full of junk mail? Unfortunately, this also can happen when you put your house on the market. When you sell your home, it necessitates all kinds of new purchasing decisions and less-than-ethical vendors are keenly aware of this. Though MLS organizations enforce rules on how posted information is used, some companies have found ways to cull information from various sources to produce mass mailing lists. If you find yourself regularly emptying your mailbox of junk, let me as your agent know. I can tap the appropriate sources to prompt an investigation into the matter.

The naïve buyer
Yard signs, Internet listings and other advertisements can generate a lot of buzz for your home. Some prospective buyers - particularly first-timers - will be so buzzed to see your home that they'll simply drop by. If this happens, no matter how nice these unexpected visitors are, it's best not to humor their enthusiasm by discussing your home or giving an impromptu tour. Instead, politely let them know that your( me)real estate agent is in charge of scheduling tours and provide them with my contact information. If you attempt to handle these surprise visits on your own, you might inadvertently disclose information that could hurt you during negotiations down the road.

Bottom line is you have hired me to work for you in getting the most oney in the shortest amount of time. I enjoy being your agent and assisting you. Primarily taking you out of uncomfortable siturations that others can place you.

Eight Happy Selling Tips For Selling A Home~

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:11:09 -0700

I use this with potiential sellers and hoped it might help sellers and/or Realtors. Happy Selling!

Eight steps to selling your home

Define your needs. Write down all the reasons for selling your home. Ask yourself, "Why do I want to sell and what do I expect to accomplish with the sale?" For example, a growing family may prompt your need for a larger home, or a job opportunity in another city may necessitate a move. For your goals, write down if you'd like to sell your house within a certain time frame or make a particular profit margin. Work with your real estate agent to map out the best path to achieve your objectives and set a realistic time frame for the sale.
Name your price. Your next objective should be to determine the best possible selling price for your house. Setting a fair asking price from the outset will generate the most activity from other real estate agents and buyers. You will need to take into account the condition of your home, what comparable homes in your neighborhood are selling for, and state of the overall market in your area. It's often difficult to remain unbiased when putting a price on your home, so your real estate agent's expertise is invaluable at this step. Your agent will know what comparable homes are selling for in your neighborhood and the average time those homes are sitting on the market. If you want a truly objective opinion about the price of your home, you could have an appraisal done. This typically costs a few hundred dollars. Remember: You're always better off setting a fair market value price than setting your price too high. Studies show that homes priced higher than 3 percent of their market value take longer to sell. If your home sits on the market for too long, potential buyers may think there is something wrong with the property. Often, when this happens, the seller has to drop the price below market value to compete with newer, reasonably priced listings.
Prepare your home. Most of us don't keep our homes in "showroom" condition. We tend to overlook piles of boxes in the garage, broken porch lights, and doors or windows that stick. It's time to break out of that owner's mindset and get your house in tip-top shape. The condition of your home will affect how quickly it sells and the price the buyer is willing to offer. First impressions are the most important. Your real estate agent can help you take a fresh look at your home and suggest ways to stage it and make it more appealing to buyers. * A home with too much "personality" is harder to sell. Removing family photos, mementos and personalized décor will help buyers visualize the home as theirs. * Make minor repairs and replacements. Small defects, such as a leaky faucet, a torn screen or a worn doormat, can ruin the buyer's first impression. * Clutter is a big no-no when showing your home to potential buyers. Make sure you have removed all knick-knacks from your shelves and cleared all your bathroom and kitchen counters to make every area seem as spacious as possible.
Get the word out. Now that you're ready to sell, your real estate agent will set up a marketing strategy specifically for your home. There are many ways to get the word out, including: * The Internet * Yard signs * Open houses * Media advertising * Agent-to-agent referrals * Direct mail marketing campaigns In addition to listing your home on the MLS, your agent will use a combination of these tactics to bring the most qualified buyers to your home. Your agent should structure the marketing plan so that the first three to six weeks are the busiest.
Receive an offer. When you receive a written offer from a potential buyer, your real estate agent will first find out whether or not the individual is prequalified or preapproved to buy your home. If so, then you and your agent will review the proposed contract, taking care to understand what is required of both parties to execute the transaction. The contract, though not limited to this list, should include the following: * Legal description of the property * Offer price * Down payment * Financing arrangements * List of fees and who will pay them * Deposit amount * Inspection rights and possible repair allowances * Method of conveying the title and who will handle the closing * Appliances and furnishings that will stay with the home * Settlement date * Contingencies At this point, you have three options: accept the contract as is, accept it with changes (a counteroffer), or reject it. Remember: Once both parties have signed a written offer, the document becomes legally binding. If you have any questions or concerns, be certain to address them with your real estate agent right away.
Negotiate to sell. Most offers to purchase your home will require some negotiating to come to a win-win agreement. Your real estate agent is well versed on the intricacies of the contracts used in your area and will protect your best interest throughout the bargaining. Your agent also knows what each contract clause means, what you will net from the sale and what areas are easiest to negotiate. Some negotiable items: * Price * Financing * Closing costs * Repairs * Appliances and fixtures * Landscaping * Painting * Move-in date Once both parties have agreed on the terms of the sale, your agent will prepare a contract.
Prepare to close. Once you accept an offer to sell your house, you will need to make a list of all the things you and your buyer must do before closing. The property may need to be formally appraised, surveyed, inspected or repaired. Your real estate agent can spearhead the effort and serve as your advocate when dealing with the buyer's agent and service providers. Depending on the written contract, you may pay for all, some or none of these items. If each procedure returns acceptable results as defined by the contract, then the sale may continue. If there are problems with the home, the terms set forth in the contract will dictate your next step. You or the buyer may decide to walk away, open a new round of negotiations or proceed to closing. Important reminder: A few days before the closing, you will want to contact the entity that is closing the transaction and make sure the necessary documents will be ready to sign on the appropriate date. Also, begin to make arrangements for your upcoming move if you have not done so.
Close the deal. "Closing" refers to the meeting where ownership of the property is legally transferred to the buyer. Your agent will be present during the closing to guide you through the process and make sure everything goes as planned. By being present during the closing, he or she can mediate any last-minute issues that may arise. In some states, an attorney is required and you may wish to have one present. After the closing, you should make a "to do" list for turning the property over to the new owners. Here is a checklist to get you started. * Cancel electricity, gas, lawn care, cable and other routine services. * If the new owner is retaining any of the services, change the name on the account. * Gather owner's manuals and warranties for all conveying appliances.

Helping You and Your Child Adjust to a New Area After a Big Move!

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:02:04 -0700

Moving can be traumatic for children. Children in School wil have to adjust to a new school, new friends, a new neighborhood, maybe even a new culture. For younger children, the move may not be as traumatic. Their world is still small and primarily involves the closest members of the family they interact with on a regular basis. Children are resillient and you as their parent can ease your children’s fears and unsurity. There may be tears in the beginning, but children need to know about the move a long time prior to moving. Learning about your family move from another person can build resentment and distrust. Whatever the reason for the move, be upfront with your children. It allows them to talk about concerns and create an understanding about the reasons your family is moving. Let Your children know that you also have feelings of unsureness with the move. Try to focus on the activities that the area that you are moving has that they are interested in. The internet is awesome in assisting with virtually visiting an area you are moving to prior to the move. Show the children that there is still some of the same restaurants that you currently visit, activities that they are interested in are also offered and the excitement of making new friends. Be positive. Get them excited about the new city and all they can experience there. If at all possible, take them to visit the new area. Let them visit new school and play on the playground. If the new house is in another city or state, research state and city. Creating a visual center posted with pictures, articles, items of interest can assist with smoothing over the trauma. Get them excited. Teenagers are usually the worst. Ask friends if they know a friend in the area to assist with introductions. Also, Your Realtor could help in introducing you and your children people they already know with the same interest or who live in the new area or neighborhood. Create a common thread that will carry to the next city to allow as much familarity as possible. Make an effort to stay in touch with friends and/ or relatives. Encourage your children to write letters to their friends. Those letters will be especially precious while they’re trying to make new friends and “fit in” at school. The technical age has also helped to keep us close while being miles away. A computer camera can make your child feel closer to their friends and family by seeing them after the move. Although the move can be taxing on you as well, try to stay as positive as possible. Happy moving!!

Gonna Bee$ Mastermind

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:09:30 -0700

Mastermind groups have been an asset to the beginning of my Real Estate Career. Our office has a Mastermind group that meets weekly to share what is going on in our business, problems that we have had and experiential problem solving techniques, or successes that we may have had in the last week. Some weeks we have local real estate vendors to come in to speak wisdom. The last week of the month our group has a "BEE SWARM" This swarm targets listings that have been on the market for a significant period of time and may be in jepordy of being lost by the listing agent. The Gonna Bee$ go as a group and mastermind why the home has not sold and in some cases not shown. Each week is different in what we learn from one another and give validation at times when we need it most.

The name of our group came from the inexperience we have as a group, but our aspirations of what our future will be as a successful real estate professional.

Why Do You Need to Sell Your Home?

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:38:42 -0700

It is important to set out in writing the reasons that are motivating you to sell your current home. You might ask yourself, "Why am I selling my home and what do I expect to accomplish?" If you have a growing family and you need more space you may be under less pressure to get your house ready to sell than if you were, let's say, moving to a new city due to career opportunity. Explore your short and long term goals and decide how selling your house fits into those goals. Your agent will identify all of the variables within your individual goals and how best to achieve them in your local real estate market. Your real estate agent will apply their expert knowledge to your particular needs and set a realistic time frame for the process to proceed. This will help you to establish a time management path for selling your home. This market is primarily a "Buyers Market." Pricing is extremely important in order to overcome the basic economic struggle of supply and demand. If the condition is in order, price is in line, and the location is desirable, then the sale of the house is likely. It is very important to take into consideration the absorption rate for you area when pricing your home. Your real estate professional should be able to give you numbers for your local market. Answering the following questions will help you in selling your home to a potiental buyer and assist in determining a marketable price. Owners/Decision Makers:________________________________ Why are you selling? ___________________________________ When do you need to move? _____________________________ How long have you owned your home? __________________ What sold you on your home? _________________________ What features do you like? _________________________ Have you done any updating to the home since you bought it? _____________________________________________________ What do you owe on the property? ______________________ What are 3 things you are looking for in a REALTOR®? 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________ Next Blog will include information on how to get your home ready to put on the market. Warm Regards, Denise Staton 252-349-9515

New Bern and Craven County Fishing

Denise Staton Broker,GRI (Keller Williams Realty) — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:15:29 -0700

New Bern and Craven County Fishing Fishing in New Bern New Bern is a fisherman’s dream between two rivers (the Trent and Neuse River). The Atlantic Ocean is only 35 miles away. There are even local fishing ponds for the quick fishhook wetting. There is something for everyone. From salt water fishing in the Neuse for fish like speckled trout, striped bass, blue fish, spanish mackerel, flounder, to fresh water of the Trent River to catch bass, crappie, and bluegills. A Day Trip on the ocean is the place to catch everything from king mackerel, blue marlin, tuna, bluefish. New Bern is a fisherman's place to live. Enjoy fishing at some or all of our fishing “holes”. The fishing stories are great after a day of fishing looking over the ocean or river cooking your catch of the day. Local Marinas River Bend Yacht Club & Marina 1 Marina Drive New Bern, NC 28560 (252) 633-2006 Sheraton Grand New Bern 100 Middle St. New Bern, NC 28560 (252) 638-3585 Northwest Creek Marina Fairfield Harbour New Bern, NC 28560 (252) 638-4133 Ramada Inn Marina 252-637-7372 All slips with water, metered electricity, cable TV,phone hook-up. Bridgepointe Marina 101 Howell Road New Bern, NC 28562 (252) 637-7372 Duck Creek Marina Sandy Point Road Bridgeton, NC 28519 (252) 638-1702 / (252) 637-2045 Cypress Point Marina 1101 B. Street Bridgeton, NC 28519 (252) 514-2288 Tidewater Marina Co. Inc. 300 Madame Moore Ln., New Bern (252) 637-3347 Nancy Lee Fishing Center N.C. Hwy. 24E. Swansboro, NC 252-354-3474 Barbour's Harbour Marina Island Rd. Harkers. Island 252-247-6924 Local Fishing Tournaments Hardee's Atlantic Beach King Mackerel Tournament Sea Water Marina Atlantic Beach Cswy. Atlantic Beach (252) 247-2334/800-545-3940 Swansboro Rotary King Mackerel & Blue Water Tournament P.O. Box 1815 Swansboro, NC 910-326-3474 The Big Rock Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament Various locations (252) 247-3575 Charter Boats Carolina Princess Sixth St. Morehead City, NC 252-726-5479 /800-682-3456 Charter Boats Mystery Boat Tours 410 Front St. Beaufort, NC 252-728-7827 Continental Shelf 711 Shepard St. Morehead City 252-726-7454 800-775-7450 Carolina Princess Sixth St. Morehead City, NC 252-726-5479 /800-682-3456