Jennifer's RE News

Jennifer's Metro Destination - Broadway Across America - (Washington, DC)

Jennifer V-E Johnson (Jennifer V-E Johnson dba WashMetroHomes.com) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:07:15 -0500

Become a part of Broadway Across America inaugural 2007 - 2008 season at the Warner Theatre. Membership is FREE!! If you sign up for the eClub before October 31, 2007 you will be entered to win a trip for two for the Color Purple East Coast premiere at the Hippodrome Theatre April 29, 2008 thru May 5, 2008.

Membership provides priority access to tickets; sweepstakes offers and exclusive travel; monthly Broadway eNewsletter; in over 40 cities priority access to other Broadway shows.

Provided by Jennifer V-E Johnson of WashMetroHomes.com © 2007 All Rights Reserved.
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Jennifer's Metro Destination - FREE Public Meetings about ongoing neighborhood planning initiatives (Washington, DC)

Jennifer V-E Johnson (Jennifer V-E Johnson dba WashMetroHomes.com) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:52:55 -0500

The Office of Planning in the District of Columbia has just published the Fall Public Meeting Schedule. These public meetings provide information about ongoing neighborhood planning initiatives. For more information you may call (202) 442 - 7600.

Tuesday, October 16

Adams Morgan

6:30 pm to 8 pm

Bell Multicultural SHS Cafeteria

3101 16^th Street, NW

Wednesday, October 17^th

Ward 7 (north)

6:30 pm to 8 pm

Boys & Girls Clubs - Richard England Clubhouse Multipurpose Room

4103 Benning Road, NE

Saturday, October 20

South Capitol Street - Bellevue

10:30 am to 12 pm

Bald Eagle Recreation Center Gymnasium

100 Joliet Street, SW

Wednesday, October 24

Pennsylvania Avenue - Penn Branch

6:30 pm to 8 pm

Randle Highlands Elementary

1650 30^th Street, SE

Thursday,
October 25*

Kennedy Street NW Corridor Revitalization Plan

Public Meeting

6 pm to 8 pm

Emery Recreation Center

5701 Georgia Avenue, NW

* NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING MEETING

Below are the services and information provided by the Office of Planning.

Services

Neighborhood Planning
GIS/IT
State Data Center
Development Review
Historic Preservation
Long Range Planning

Information

Plans, statistics, and standard and customized maps of geographical areas within the city are developed by the Office of Planning.

Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI)
CapitalSpace
Center City Action Agenda 2007
Comprehensive Plan
Data
DC Commemorative Works Program
District Retail Action Strategy
Guidelines to Antenna Installations
Maps
Neighborhood and Revitalization Plans
NoMA
Public Meetings
Publications

Identity Theft Information from FTC

Jennifer V-E Johnson (Jennifer V-E Johnson dba WashMetroHomes.com) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:03:04 -0500

According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) approximately 9 million Americans have experienced identity theft. Below is a link to the FTC website that provides specific information about identity theft. There is also a short video in both English and Spanish. Don’t think it can’t happen to you, because it can.

You may also visit my website www.washmetrohomes.com about information about Life Lock at the bottom of the page. Life Lock provides information and services to help protect you against identity theft. Life Lock is backed “by a $1 million guarantee to keep you fully satisfied,” against identity theft.

Click here to view Victims' Statement of Rights.

Video
A 10-minute educational video that provides an overview of identity theft and outlines the steps consumers can take.

Video
Un video de 10 minutos que presenta una panorama general del tema e indica los pasos que pueden tomar los consumidores.

The Market Is Tight – How Far Would You Go To Keep A Client?

Jennifer V-E Johnson (Jennifer V-E Johnson dba WashMetroHomes.com) — Mon, 28 May 2007 00:47:38 -0500

I recently had a former client contact me about purchasing a home. About a year ago, he rented a home along with a friend. The friend was now married and my client had moved in with his girlfriend. He contacted me months earlier and we stayed in touch.

Then it happened, one day he emailed me that he was ready to start looking. He sent me an email asking me if I would "discount" my commission. At first, I thought - former client okay I can provide some sort of rebate. It IS NOT my normal practice to provide discounts. So instead of saying "YES," I called my client on the phone. I asked him, what sort of discount he was seeking. He commented, "oh well we just need someone to let us into the homes." I then asked, "who is going to write the contract?" He informed me he had not thought that far ahead. WOW.

After our phone conversation, I emailed him a list of my services and asked him to indicate which services he did not want and in turn I could provide a discount. As soon as I sent the list, I remember that I had read what a fellow Realtor wrote on Point2Agent.com. He commented that he would discount his services when Tiffany & Co. discounted their diamonds.

About an hour after I sent the list of services, I sent my client another email saying that I could not represent him in his best interest and also protect him from any liability with limiting my services. I did not mention the obvious:

The commission is paid by the seller and not the buyer, so why did he need a discount?
He should be asking me to ask the seller to pay for closing costs instead of a discount.
I would negotiate a sales price in his favor.
I would negotiate for the seller to pay for other costs such as: home inspection and appraisal.

He emailed me back and said that he had found another Agent that was willing to provide a "discount." I am glad that I did not give in just to get a sale, because I realize that the whole transaction would have BEEN A DISASTER. This experience reminds me of the sellers who do not want to pay for "FULL SERVICE." However, half way through the transaction realize that they have no experience with Real Estate, have questions they do not know how to answer or better yet, that we as Real Estate professionals do EARN our commission, we just make it look effortless. It is ironic that people do not question their Doctor, Mechanic or Attorney when it comes to services and fees.

Even though the market is tight, I am not going to "sell my soul," just to make a living. I also know that I would rather lose a client than to have the client bad mouth me even though I performed all the services that we agreed upon. I know that the professionalism and integrity will far out last the "discounters" in our profession.

For more information or assistance with setting up a real estate investment team (REIT), mortgage planning options or property management, contact Jennifer Johnson, your trusted real estate investment advisor.

Copyright© 2007 by Jennifer V-E Johnson. Others may not copy this material without written permission of Jennifer V-E Johnson. The views expressed in this RE News are those of the author(s). If you are currently working with a Realtor® this is not intended as a solicitation.