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YOUR OWN MENTAL ATTITUDE IS YOUR REAL BOSS.
While your time and your labor may be subject to the demands of your employer and others, your mind is the one thing that cannot be controlled by anyone but you. The thoughts you think, your attitude toward your job, and what you are willing to give in exchange for the compensation you are paid are entirely up to you. It is up to you to determine whether you will be a slave to a negative attitude or the master of a positive one. Your attitude, your only master in life, is entirely within your control. When you control your attitude toward events, you control the eventual implication of those events.
"Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."
Real Estate Broker, DRE CA License #01148405
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Many first-time buyers are unprepared for the financial burdens of homeownership.
Lenders to tell them the maximum they can afford based on their incomes with little regard for the "extras" such as utilities, upkeep and improvements.
You're told what your monthly nut for principal, interest, taxes and insurance — the all-important PITI — will be. But likely because you won't know exactly what the other costs will be until you actually move into your new place, they are rarely mentioned. And as a result, borrowers who mortgage themselves to the hilt often find themselves "house poor."
They own a home, all right, but they can't afford anything else. Sometimes not even the heat or hot water.
Rookies who are transitioning from an apartment are usually better prepared than those who are making the move from the family nest. Renters probably paid at least something for their utilities, whereas those leaving the friendly confines of Mom and Dad's house for the first time probably have never ever had to dig into their pockets for food, let alone electricity.
As owners, though, they will be responsible for electricity and/or gas, water and sewer and trash removal. Then there's the phone bill if you want a landline, and cable if you expect to watch television.
Utilities are a big add-on. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical family spends $1,900 a year — $158 a month — on home utilities.
Another frequently overlooked expense is association dues. There isn't any hard data, but estimates are that four of five housing starts in metropolitan areas are part of "common interest" subdivisions or condominiums. That means residents not only own their homes or apartments but also a share of the community's public areas — the streets, parking lots and walkways — with all the other owners.
Some 60 million people nationwide live in 305,000 homeowner and condo association-governed communities, all of which collect fees usually monthly or quarterly, according to the Community Associations Institute (CAI). Even if you don't use the pool or golf course, you have to pay your share.
Whatever the amount — less than $25 monthly or more than $500 — it shouldn't be overlooked. "I don't think we've properly addressed it in terms of the real cost of housing," said Steve Melman, director of economic services at the National Assn. of Home Builders (NAHB).
Indeed, as Melman rightly points out, the tax benefits of ownership — annual mortgage interest and property tax write-offs — are often offset, at least partially, by the cost of association dues. Not only are dues not deductible, he notes, they "add a significant amount" to the monthly outlay.
Another significant expense all buyers, not just first-timers, tend to forget is what they'll spend for furnishings, appliances and property alterations.
A 2007 study by the Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies shows that consumers spent an average of $14,206 on home improvements during their first two years of ownership. But according to NAHB's research, most of the extra spending — 60% — occurs within the first three months after taking occupancy.
The spending doesn't stop there, though, especially if you're buying a previously occupied house. There's also the cost of upkeep.
"Whether you are moving into a new or old home," says Dan Steward, president of Pillar to Post, a home-inspection company, you "need to be aware of the ongoing maintenance any home requires."
Buyers should figure on spending 1% of the home's value per year for maintenance, Steward said.
From L.A. Times
Valerie Fitzgerald specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author of the book published by Simon and Schuster Heart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business.
Here's a quick video with an update on Sacramento housing sales for this month...I know, the month isn't quite over, but it's February 24th, so almost! The figures are also in print below the video. Let me know if you have any questions!
Okay, so basically, houses in Sacramento are selling:
Feb. 2010 Sales:
Total Sacramento homes that are sold or pending as of today: 3,439
Total active Sacramento listings: 6172
of those total active listings, nearly 4,000 of them (3,822) are short sales. Please check out the video to see what I have to say about that. In a nut shell, FHA loans are not being accepted on many properties, so it might not be worth you time to even include short sales in your house hunting efforts....or at least be sure to work with an agent who is qualifying the property before taking you to see it. Listen to the real estate segment of SACRAMENTO SMILES at www.InLoveWithSacto.com and check out the past podcast....real estate and so much more!
Ta ta for now,
Tamara
Original source of this post: www.InLoveWithSacto.tv
Visit my blog at www.InLoveWithSacto.tv, Listen to my radio show at www.InLoveWithSacto.com
Taking borrowers at their word for how much they earn was a major cause of the mortgage meltdown. That practice may also be why an Obama administration program has struggled to convert temporary loan modifications into permanent ones.
The government said Thursday that it would overhaul the program by requiring homeowners to document their incomes before trial modifications are granted. Borrowers previously could have their interest rates lowered and the terms of their loans extended on a trial basis without providing pay stubs or other financial documents.
Banks and other mortgage service providers were supposed to collect those documents during a three-month trial period, with the modification becoming permanent if the borrower made three reduced monthly payments and submitted the required paperwork. But the program yielded few permanent modifications.
Last year, servicers extended nearly 1.2 million offers of trial modifications -- but just 66,465 troubled home loans were modified permanently.
Loan servicers said large numbers of borrowers failed to turn in the proper documents, and homeowners complained that the banks were unreasonable and lost paperwork.
The new procedure, to be adopted by servicers by June 1, would require three documents upfront: a formal application including a description of the hardship created by the mortgage; proof of income, which would mean at least two pay stubs or the most recent profit and loss statement for self-employed borrowers; and a form authorizing the Internal Revenue Service to release tax data to the servicer.
Under the plan, servicers will be required to respond within 10 days to an initial request for a modification. Once documents are provided, the servicer will have one month to tell borrowers whether they qualify for a trial modification.
If a borrower makes three payments at the modified rate, the modification will automatically be made permanent.
In an attempt to address a large backlog of incomplete modifications, the Treasury Department said it would allow servicers some discretion in making loans permanent if only minor paperwork was missing.
Phyllis Caldwell, chief of the department's Homeownership Preservation Office, said in a statement that the shift in policy "represents our commitment to more efficiently move qualified homeowners into permanent modifications."
Some lending groups and banks praised the changes, which they said would reduce the high volume of attempted modifications that end in disappointment for borrowers.
The changes should help borrowers better understand the process and their chance of getting a loan modified, said Kevin Waetke, a spokesman for Wells Fargo & Co., the second-largest loan servicer. Wells Fargo will adopt the new procedures March 1, he said.
John Taylor, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, called the changes mere "tweaks" and said lenders should cut loan balances to avoid losing even more money on foreclosures. The government, Taylor said, should use its control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to start writing down the principal on mortgages owned or insured by them "and demand that the private sector do the same."
The program, launched last spring, was designed to provide billions of dollars in subsidies to encourage lenders to forestall foreclosures by reducing mortgage payments to 31% of the borrowers' household income. The goal was to offer modifications to 3 million to 4 million Americans.
To obtain the subsidies, servicers must take a series of steps to reach an affordable payment: reduce the interest rate, extend the loan's term to 40 years and suspend payments on part of the amount owed. A permanent reduction of the loan balance is optional.
But the servicers also must calculate whether the lender or current owner of the loan will come out ahead by doing the modification or by foreclosing. If the loan owner comes out ahead with a modification, the servicer is required to make it. By documenting the borrowers' financial situation before offering a trial modification, servicers can make this calculation upfront and inform borrowers whether they qualify.
"Increasing the number of borrowers receiving permanent modifications . . . is critical to our efforts to preserve affordable and sustainable homeownership," said William Apgar, a Harvard University housing expert on leave to help the Department of Housing and Urban Development deal with the foreclosure crisis.
The Valerie Fitzgerald Group specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author of the book published by Simon and Schuster Heart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business. Buy it here.
What changes can you make to positively move your business forward? Without getting overwhelmed with the idea of restructuring your entire business model, think of simple changes, or additions, you can make that will positively and effectively grow your business.
Take a look at your systems, your schedules, your expenses, and your goals. Each of these areas could use a little ‘touch up’, so without getting overwhelmed, take a look at these suggestions and decide to make the positive change.
Systems – Systems are the foundation of which you work from. You can think of systems as the guide or rules for each particular area of your business. When your systems are effective and in place, you can spend more time generating business than crawling out from under piles of paper.
What happens when you go away on holiday? Do you come back to a huge ‘pile’ of things to do before you can even dive into your work load. When your systems are in place, you can effortlessly assimilate back into work mode and take off running.
How do you write and implement your ‘to do’ list? How do you monitor your contact with clients? How do you keep records and important data? How do you organize your office, including your computer? What simple changes can you make to get more organized and efficient?
Schedules – They say, if you have a task to complete – give it to a busy person. It seems there are those who can do 1,000 things each day, and there are those who can’t get 1 thing done. Usually the person who can’t get 1 thing accomplished has the most available time. Setting your schedule enables you to focus on what you need to get finished and weeds out ‘time wasters’. Set your weekly schedule on Sunday and allocate tasks to specific days.
Each night, review what you need to do the following day and get together anything you’ll need to complete those tasks. Of course, things get shifted throughout the week, but once the plan is in place, you can clearly see how to rearrange things to be sure everything gets finished.
Be sure to put an “end time to your day”. Set a time you leave the office, or if working from home – your “stop” time. You’ll find you’ll still complete your ‘to do’ list because you’ve set parameters on your time. It’s a trick I’ve played on myself for many years, and I find I am finished around the same time every day and I’m able to complete the things on my list.
Are you setting your schedule the night before, noting things that must get done and including things ‘if you have an extra minute’? Are you being reasonable with the time it takes to complete your tasks? Are you allocating time to ‘return calls’, ’send emails’, and other daily tasks. What are your “time-wasters”?
Expenses – It’s not just in today’s economy, this an important arena to pay attention to. Every little bit adds up. I tend to use this example often because many can relate to it. Let’s say you buy yourself a $3.00 latte each day before going into work. If you multiply that by each day, and each week, and each month – you are spending, on average, $600 a year.
Although, you need to make about $900 – before taxes -to ‘take home’ $600. That’s just for coffee! Ok, so you allow that, but what about all the other $3.00 expenses that add up the same way. No matter what the expense, every little bit adds up and you need to ‘get real’ with your budget.
Do you have a personal budget? Do you have a business budget? What unnecessary expenses can you cut? What changes can you make in how you run your business, in order to save on expenses?
Goals – I saved the best for last! It’s not too late to write your business goals for 2010. This is an important component in reaching success in your business. What do you want to accomplish this year? Do you want to increase your database by 500? Do you want to close (4) deals each month? Do you want to generate enough business to hire an assistant? or two? Do you want to extend your on-line marketing efforts? Do you want to make an additional $_____ (fill in the blank) each month? Regardless of your goals, write them down, visualize them, and take the necessary steps to make them h happen.
Have you written your goals for 2010? Can you see your goal list while sitting at your desk/laying in bed/driving in the car? What changes and action steps do you need to make to reach your goals?
It may seems like a lot to ask of yourself, but aren’t you worth it? I urge you to make the necessary changes that will enable your business to grow in 2010. Establish your systems, set your schedules, respect your budget, and reach your goals. Be the change you need in your world!
“Failing to plan, is planning to fail.”
~Anonymous
The Valerie Fitzgerald Group specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author of Heart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business. Buy it here.
Most of us start off the New Year with the best of intentions. We all have a deep longing in our hearts for this year to be the best year yet. We even make resolutions.
Sadly, however, most resolutions are forgotten by Jan30. Before we know it we are caught up in the same reactive cycle as we were before. This article shows you how to create a new paradigm for success.
1. Use the Power of Your Imagination
Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. Have you imagined how your want your professional life to look in 12 months from today?
If you haven’t already, try this: close your eyes and create your Ideal Professional Life.
a. See your self doing work you love and see how many hours a week you are doing it.
b. Ask yourself what kind of people your want to be working with. Who are your ideal clients and colleagues?
c. What are your ideal physical surroundings for your work environment?
d. What is your ideal income in 12 months?
So far, so good. Now put yourself into this visualization and feel what it feels like to be in the picture of your Ideal Professional Life. What positive feelings are you experiencing? Most people report such feelings as peaceful, calm, excited, confident, satisfied, etc. What are your unique feelings? Can you allow yourself to experience them now?
The more you can feel these feelings and practice them every day, more you will magnetize the events leading up to the feelings to land in your lap. You get what your focus on. Focus on your Ideal Professional Life and that’s what you’ll get.
2. Become aware of your obstacles, challenges, self-limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging strategies.
Now that you’re clear on where you want to be professionally In 12 months from now, and your know exactly what you want your income to be, please yourself this question: What would I have to overcome to reach this goal? What would need to be dissolved? What blocks would you need to remove?
After 30 years of coaching people to be more fully empowered, I can honestly say that most people realize that they are the ones holding themselves back.
To become aware of how you may be holding yourself back, look at your self-limiting beliefs, your self-sabotaging strategies and the tone of your self talk.
a. When your are able to identify the self-limiting beliefs, like, “I don’t have what it takes to succeed”, and more, then practice reprogramming those beliefs to Empowered Beliefs like “ I have all I need to succeed”.
b. You’ll be able to recognize your self – sabotaging strategies because they will show up as avoidance or procrastination. Usually with the help of a good coach or mentor you can learn to reverse those self-sabotaging strategies into ones that will serve you.
c. What is the tone of your self talk? If you judge yourself or Berate yourself, then your Inner Critic (also known as the Gremlin) is in charge. Your Inner Critic thinks it’s trying to help you to be successful, but actually it’s destroying your confidence. I highly recommend learning how to tame your Gremlin if you’re committed to your own success.
3. Have a plan to reach your goals.
So far we’ve explored how you need clarity about your goals, next you need to clear away negative beliefs and anything that would get in the way. Now we need to explore where “the rubber meets the road.”
a. Ask yourself if you have a crystal clear action plan?
b. Do you have a time management system to implement your plan?
c. Do you have a plan for accountability? This is where coaching comes in handy. You have a witness for your accountability. Do you have any idea how much more accountable to yourself you become when someone is meeting with you week after week and saying, “How did that action step go?”
d. Do you know your unique selling point?
e. Do you know your niche and your target market?
f. Do you have a tangible plan to reach your target market, identify their problem and provide a solution?
In summary, to create your Ideal Income, you must know where you want to be, clear away the obstacles getting in your way and know how to get there.
The reasons are very clear if you research the facts. The servicers are under their PAS agreements which I explain in detail in the previous post that I noted above and they are always in fear of being sued by the note owners; the investors. Just because the servicer is a bank does not mean that bank is the one that holds the note.
One of the biggest misconceptions in dealing with loan modifications and short sales is that when the homeowner calls ‘his bank’; over 90% of the time, he is calling the loan servicer.
Just because the name of the servicer may be the name of a bank, like Bank of America or JP Morgan Chase- does not mean they own the note on your mortgage. There are many times where you will find that your loan is being serviced by Bank of America but your note is owned by Wells Fargo.
So the first thing we have to get straight is that there are different things in the works here. Let’s not mix the apples with the oranges.
The different segments to discuss are:
The servicers who service the loans
The investors who own those notes
The banks desire/plans to control our economy
Just because the big banks are horrid and lack in customer service like you’ve never seen before does not mean that they are not doing loan modifications for the reasons most think. There is a lot that the servicers can do upfront to help the loan mods to move along that is not rocket science. I will write a post about the fastest way to get a yes or let's process answer and we can hope they implement these.
Now before we jump all over the banks- which we have every right to- because they are totally ruining our financial system not just in our country but in the world. We have every right to be mad at the banks.
Thomas Jefferson, over 200 years ago warned us about allowing banks to control us and our governments:
";I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."; Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed) 3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)
But when the servicing agreements tell the servicers they MUST protect their investments and ROI- they become fearful of law suits.
There was a bill in the house that was addressing this issue to relieve this liability off of the servicers and to give them some leeway in to what they could get sued over and what not. But the investors who need to protect their investments lobbied the house not to pass this bill. I am not sure if it ever even got to the floor of the house.
Now there are always more kinks in a situation than we might realize or expect. So the answers are not so cut and dry either. Don't get the banks tightening up lending, the banks not investing, the banks not being prepared, etc, etc, with why servicers are reluctant to do loan modifications and short sales. These are different subjects, all with merit but not for this particular discussion.
You see, many of these investors who are not excited about loan modifications and short sales are not the banks but the investors of those banks. So many people and companies ended up owning knowingly and unknowingly toxic mortgage backed securities. One of our investors on one short sale file is Etrade.
Who are these investors?People like the teachers in your children’s school, the local firemen and women, the police chief in your town, the sheriff in your village. People like your grandparents and aunts and uncles who are living on pensions right now. People like you if you have an IRA account or a 401K retirement account. These are the shareholders and the actual owners of these toxic mortgage backed securities.
So when the servicer is fearful of falling out of the guidelines set forth in their PAS agreement- their fiduciary duty is not to you and I who pay our mortgage payments to them but rather the you and I who have our retirement plans, pensions and stock investments tied up in the notes that were bundled and we bought.
Entering 2010, many home sellers feel they’re mired in the winter of their discontent, but there are signs the real estate market is on the mend. Sales activity is up, homebuilders are finally moving inventory and values are rising slightly in many American cities. At year-end 2009, mortgage rates stood at historic lows, spurring a wave of new applications.
But don’t be too jubilant. A recent report by Deutsche Bank estimates that by 2011, about 48 percent of all U.S. mortgages will be underwater. Short sales and foreclosures will continue to put pressure on home prices in 2010 as they work their way through the pipeline slowly. It was apparent in 2009 that lenders were holding back much of their foreclosure inventories and REO, or real estate-owned property, in an effort to keep values up.
Meanwhile, housing’s biggest economic driver — the job market — continues to stagnate as average unemployment remains high, at around 10 percent. So it’s no surprise the new year will ring in another buyer’s market, though with far more upside than in 2009. With that as a backdrop, here are 10 real estate tips for homebuyers and owners in 2010.
Tip 1: Take up Uncle Sam on his offer.
Might as well get a piece of that big stimulus pie while it lasts. At some point, the federal government will have to let the toddler walk on its own legs.
The $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit program that helped jump-start the real estate market in 2009 has been extended into 2010 and expanded. First-time homebuyers who sign a binding contract to buy a home by April 30, 2010, and close on it by June 30, 2010, qualify. The program’s maximum income limits have jumped from $75,000 to $125,000 for individuals and from $150,000 to $225,000 for couples.
For those who have owned their homes for at least five years and want to trade up to a different primary residence, a separate $6,500 tax credit has been added. Further, many homeowners who are underwater in their real estate loans are eligible for a loan-modification program with their current mortgage company or loan servicer through the Making Home Affordable Program.
Tip 2: Find down payment assistance.
There are several down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers at the federal and local levels. Other down-payment assistance programs that can piggyback ongoing federal programs are often available at the city, county and state level. Just conduct an Internet search for “down-payment assistance programs” with your locality’s name added.
Tip 3: Make home improvements now.
For households with access to credit, now may be the best time in years to fix up the homestead, either for a potential sale or simply for the sake of better living. Low financing costs, reduced construction materials costs and lower contractor costs make rehabs more affordable. Repairs that typically yield thehighest returns are kitchen and bathroom makeovers with an emphasis on counters and cabinets. Get three different estimates. Then, factor in an additional 10 percent for those on-the-fly “change orders” that inevitably crop up. See home improvement strategies and checklists at Homegain.com.
Tip 4: Hire real estate agents and home inspectors wisely.
Now is not the time to hire a friend or relative as your real estate agent, especially with one of the most important transactions of your life on the line in this still-shaky market. You want someone who is well-connected with other agents, lenders and other fellow industry pros. Check credentials, references and recent performance histories.
If you’re hiring an appraiser, make sure he or she is a veteran with at least five years of experience who’s appropriately state-licensed or state-certified. Because of potential conflicts of interest, don’t pick one based solely on a reference from a real estate agent. The same diligence should apply to hiring a home inspector. Conduct reasonably brief phone interviews with at least two or three before you choose.
Tip 5: Price accordingly, sellers.
This should be on every real estate seller’s priority list. In most of the U.S., there are few reasons that a house can’t go under contract in 60 days or less. The listings that generate activity while others gather dust are typically those whose owners have adjusted expectations based on comparably priced homes, or “comps.” That doesn’t mean you should drop your price precipitously on your well-maintained home to undercut the litany of poor-condition foreclosure homes. It just means “price to the present,” not to a fantasy market.
Tip 6: Don’t wait out the recovery.
Yes sellers, housing has been repriced. And by the looks of things, it will take years — even a decade or more — for values to return to their highs of two years ago. That potential loss you’re fretting over may only be on paper, especially if you’ve been in the house awhile. Example: Take a move-in-ready house that appraises for $250,000. Because there’s competing inventory, your agent advises you to take 10 percent off the price. Now you’ll be selling for $225,000. “Ouch,” you might say. But consider that you only paid $175,000 for the place in 2000. So how is a $50,000 profit, a loss? What’s more, if you’re planning to move up in the same or a similar market, you will likely realize that same 10 percent discount on your move-up purchase.
Tip 7: Think long term.
Buyers, don’t settle for “good enough.” Just because you’re getting a bargain doesn’t mean you’re getting a home that suits your long-term needs. Think functionality, neighborhood, location, access to services, highway access, work routes, schools, relatives and mass transit, and not price only. Do your homework, keep a cool head and carefully examine all the options. If you can spare the time, give yourself an extra month or two to make a decision. A house is a habitat first, an investment second.
Tip 8: Energy largesse.
Through Dec. 31, 2010, homeowners who buy and install specific energy-efficient windows, insulation, roofs, doors and heating and air-conditioning equipment can get a 30 percent tax credit for up to $1,500 of their costs on each product.
If you want to take it a step further, you can buy greener (and more expensive) energy-saving products, including solar energy systems, geothermal heat pumps, small wind systems, residential fuel cells and micro-turbine systems, and get 30 percent tax credit with no spending limit on each system, through 2016. Go to EnergyStar.gov’s Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency for a complete summary.
Tip 9: Consider rent-to-own deals.
The current market has driven many former homeowners into rentals, where they have nothing to show for their payments. Rent-to-own or lease-to-own deals allow buyers to “tire-kick” a home for a designated period while paying a higher-than-market rent to buy down an eventual down-payment. This gets renters vested in a home while they repair their credit and also helps frustrated sellers generate an above-market revenue stream. Make sure to draft a very specific contract that spells out all the options.
Tip 10: Don’t take or make it personal.
Our homes have such a personal connection to us that we’re often challenged to turn them back into just plain houses when it’s time for us to sell. It is always best to remove personal effects such as pictures, knickknacks, mementos, trophies, greeting cards and the like before showing a house. (A good agent or home-stager should emphasize this.) There is a rule of thumb that you should count every item in every room of a for-sale home and eliminate or store 50 percent of them.
The buyers want to imagine themselves in the house for years to come and your excess decor and whatnots only distract from this vision. And don’t get defensive about colors or design patterns or flooring that you love. It’s OK to grit your teeth as you grin. Let your agent be the buffer. Remember, the customers (your buyers) are always right, unless, of course, they’re low-balling you.
The Valerie Fitzgerald Group specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author o fHeart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business.
If you have a strong Internet presence, do you think it matters to the general population that they recognize the brokerage name?
I've been with RE/Max for over 5 years and I've been wondering recently how much of my success is directly attributed to the RE/Max name? I have received a few RE/Max referrals over the years, but not enough to say they've had a big impact on my bottom line.
I've asked my title rep who took a poll. The general consensus was that it DOES matter to SELLERS, but NOT SO MUCH to BUYERS ...unless those buyers are coming from another part of the country or world, then it might help to have a recognized name.
Since a big name brokerage typically comes with big time fees...I'm wondering if it's worth the investment.
So, what do you think? Has anyone left a major brokerage for a smaller mom & pop shop with success?
Amy Jones, Realtor, ABR, CNE, CDPE Top producing Realtor in Chandler, Sun Lakes, and the surrounding East Valley. Rated in the "Top 50 Real Estate Agents" by the Phoenix Business Journal
RE/Max Excalibur 4921 S. Alma School Rd Chandler, Arizona amy@amysellsaz.com
Visit www.AmySellsAZ.com for more information including free MLS search.
I signed up for Twitter just a couple of months ago. Just happened to come across it when looking at Lance Armstrongs Livestrong website. Lance had just completed the Amgen Tour of California, and had come through Clovis, Ca in stage 4 of the race. I have been a fan of his going back to the mid 90's, shortly before his cancer fight. So, I saw this link that said Follow me on Twitter. That was the first time I had ever seen Twitter. At the time I thought it was a little voyueristic, yet interesting to see what he was up to. You know, "out for a ride", "took the kids to school", "dinner with the team", and so on. Then I signed up for my own account under @bobvolanti and the journey continued.
It has been nice one so far as I have been able to connect with people from around the globe. People I'll never meet, some I've admired for years, and many of those from here on Activerain, which is my go to site for all things Real Estate. After all, I'm a Realtor and have been for 17 years.
Twitter gives me an outlet to share thoughts in a easy 140 or less character way, to impart my views and experiences and to find out what other people are thinking and doing.
The whole deal of using Twitter to advance my career doesn't appeal to me, though I'll take it if it comes. Nor does learning how to get 16,000 followers hold my attention. I look for people with some shared values, kindness, humor, generosity and a good attitude towards life. I have found those and more.
I have also found that there are brilliant social media people, Doctors with humor, celebs who care and make a difference, celebs with a lot of followers who follow few, authors, business people, bloggers, politicos, sexperts, spammers, stalkers, and even some total morons who need help or an ass-kicking. Maybe both. Heck, there are even fake accounts, some of which I'm probably following! Makes it interesting, doesn't it?
All in all it's been a good experience for a guy who is interested in many things outside of Real Estate. I'm sort of a Man vs. Wild type except for the bug eating. Social Media is not my thing. I love reading, always have and it's been great to be introduced to so many wonderful people whose words I admire.
To me it is about connections, caring, helping and imparting wisdom if you can which benefits not only the world we live in, but also you.
If you like you can follow me on Twitter @bobvolanti
If not, it's ok. There's no shortage of Tweeps and I'd rather not have 16,000 followers. Yet!!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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