Josh's Blog

What happened to paying the listing price?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:02:48 -0500

I remember six or so months ago when you would take a look at a house and know that the price was high and you could underbid. Not so, not lately. I have noticed in the last few months that if you want a house-a nice house in a good neighborhood in Southern California you have to be ready to overbid and be ready to fight.

I have seen a lot more "One Day" sales where the selling agent shows the house for one day then makes a decision that night, the next or within the week. It's effective and you get an answer right away which is much better than waiting that ambigious four or five months, but it means you have to be prepared.

I always have suggested my clients get their pre-qualification letter but now, I suggest a pre-approval. When we see a house I do a comparative analysis so I know if the house is priced low. I want to prepare my clients so they know that even if they are willing to come in full price, they still may not get the house and if they really want the house they have to be willing to overbid.

So yes, it looks like a different marked. Have any of you experieced similiar situations.?

Directions-Which site is the best?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:27:40 -0500

Not everyone has GPS and so we have to rely on internet driving directions. I have been burned by Mapquest and so my site of choice is Google maps. Now don’t get me wrong, Google has let me astray too. There are pros and cons to every mapping site. Here are the most popular:
MapQuest
Ask.com
Google Maps
Yahoo Maps
Rand McNally
Google and Ask.com offer the option of mapping more than one property at a time so you can create a route when showing houses. Map Quest has a gas prices icon right on the top menu bar that will search for the best gas or diesel prices anywhere in the US. All in all, google is still my preferred choice. Which do you use and why?

Signatures-its the last thing they see

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:06:52 -0500

Email is now part of the daily routine. We email for work and for fun. You can change any email account (web based or not) to include a signature. This signature would be included in every one of your emails. I always put my name comma title and undeneath that line my phone number and then the URL for my webpage. You can connect it to your page or even your blog. Think about how many emails you send even on topics unrelated to email and even those forwards (as long as you dont send to many), your webpage could sent easily to hundreds of people with the click of a send button. I sometimes click on a friend's link at the bottom of their email just to see what they do, or what they are up to. I even click to see what people I don't know do. If they sent me an email, they are a possible client...

Respectfully,

Josh Beckman, Realor www.joshbeckman.com

Open House Checklist

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:14:47 -0500

I don't know about you but in order to streamline things I have a "Open House Kit". It's almost everything I need for an open house and I put it in one of those small rolling suitcases. I have pens, sign in sheets, a clipboard, extra copies of my business card, a calculator, tape, air freshner (you never know when a house is going to smell), a flashlight, extra batteries, and some office supplies.

Also if I, or another realtor in my office have a property nearby I come with a stack of directions from my open house to the other house. I don't leave them out, but have them handy if I think a client is going to like them better. It's easier than writing out directions every time and helpful if I can't remember the address or directions.

I learned an important lesson at a recent Open House. It has been hotter than hot lately in California. I went to do an open house without water. With average daily temperatures over 100 degrees I will never make that mistake again.

DON'T forget to bring water! Offer water and even popciles or ice cream as a way to beat the heat. Show potential clients that you had them in mind even before they had you in mind.

Good Luck!

Building Client Relationships

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:15:49 -0500

I have noticed something. My clients who are loyal are the ones i have relationships with. I try to have relationships with all my client, but it takes time to build a relationship with those who only email. I try to call or meet clients as soon as possible. I want my clients to know I will listen to them and I actually care. So these are my suggestions to you if you are trying to build more client relationships:

1. Meet as soon as possible.

2. When you meet, smile and be on time.

3. Do some research befroe you get there, just to get the ball rolling.

4. Don't waste time but ask about the client's family. They have to be happy too if they are living in the house. Most times an unhappy spouse and some times an unhappy child can kill a deal.

5. Follow up immediately. Do what you say you are going to do and continue to follow up. Remind your client that you are working for them.

6. Explain what you are doing. When people understand what you are doing, they know you are working for them and will trust you more.

7. Be willing to share your professional expertise. I had a client who wanted to move into a bad area. I knew it was out of desperation, she did not think she could afford anything. One of the reasons she was moving was because she wanted her son to live in a better neighborhood. She could afford the house, she wanted the house but I had to speak up. I told her I would do what she wanted but this wasn't the best area for her son. In a week we found a MUCH better home and area.

What do you do to build good client relationships?

Looking forward to Sawdust

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:25:15 -0500

There is so much to do in Orange County, especially during the summer. I thought I would share some of the local flavor with you. I will begin with The Sawdust Festival which is an annual event in Laugna Beach. This year it will be held June 27th-August 31st 2008.
This summer will actually be the 42nd Annual Summer Show at the Sawdust Art Festival. Over 200 artists will have their artwork on display in Laguna Beach. Its a great chance to view work by local artists. They even offer classes so you can try your hand at being creative. Admission is $7 for adults.
Here is a coupon for $1 off admission There will be food and entertainment by local artist. I am looking forward to going this year.

Great Books

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:46:24 -0500

I just finished reading a great book, The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews. It was a great book, a short read with a lot of valuable and timeless lessons for life and for real estate. So, I thought I would share five reads (that have something to do with real estate). In random order: 1. The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews 2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 3. You can’t teach a kid to write a bike at a seminar by David Sandler 4. The Path by Laurie Beth Jones 5. The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner by David Bach Share your top book or books. Any that have helped you professionally. And personally, my favorite book is The Secret of the Box by Maryann Costa (my wife) available at Black Poppy Press

Remembering the Scouts

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:27:18 -0500

A tornado hit the scout ranch in Little Sioux, Iowa. 93 scouts and 25 adults were divided into two groups when the storm struck. One was in camp, but the other was out hiking on the 1,800-acre Little Sioux Scout Ranch. Over forty boys were injured, four were killed. Killed were Aaron Eilerts, 14, of Eagle Grove, Iowa; and Josh Fennen, 13, Sam Thomsen, 13, and Ben Petrzilka, 14.

These boys showed great heroism. They took care of each other. Watching the news I heard stories of older boys taking care of younger ones, and scouts taking care of their wounds. As a former Scout, I have to say I am very thankful for the organization. It has taught me a lot, helped to develop my character and gave me ways to serve my community. I am thankful for the Boy Scouts and all it taught me. My prayers are with all the scouts and their families.

Oh but what is your "real job"?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:03:42 -0500

I work hard for my clients. Sometimes when I meet people socially they ask me if Real Estate is "all" I do or if it is something I do part-time. I know that some people use Real Estate to supplement their income but Real Estate is not a part-time job. I want to give clients the best customer service I can while getting new clients at the same time. The job can sometimes take much longer than the traditional 40 hour workweeks. Do any of you feel the same way?

Are you a neighborhood expert?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:01:03 -0500

I like to think of myself as a "neighborhood expert". That means I have to not only be aware of what is going on in my community, but be ready to give the information to someone else-whether they ask for it or not. I know that we all are familiar with going door to door-some of us love it and others dread the idea. I have found it helpful to offer homeowners information when I visit, keeping them aware of important local information.

Once a year the city has a "clean up day" where large item can be left out for garbage pick up.If you miss that day, you are stuck for the rest of the year or you have to end up renting a big garbage can. The city sends out flyers but a lot of the time it gets caught up in all of the junk mail. So I make up flyers of my own and hand deliver them, letting people know about the clean up day. It gives me information to give them rather than asking if they are ready to buy or sell a home.

It gets me recognized in the neighborhood. It also keeps me aware of what is going on in the city. Buena Park, CA also known as the "Cener of the Southland" has a lot to offer its residents besides Knott's Berry Farm- once a week the city offers trips, babysitting services, and concerts. Also, because there is so much going on, it gives me something different to talk about each time I visit. So check out what is going on in your own neighborhood and become an "expert".

Free tool for your website!

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:57:51 -0500

Seen the ad around the site for the free mortgage calculator? Take advantage of the free code! It only takes a minute. Click the link, copy the code, then paste it into your html file. It's looks pretty good on almost any type of page. I just added it to my page, take a peek and see what it looks like. www.JoshBeckman.com

Link for the code:

http://www.mortgagecalculator.org/activerain/

Use it!

Pressure: Crumble or become a Diamond

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 13:38:49 -0500

This is a stressful time for most of us. The market and the rising price of gas. So with all the pressure, do we crumble? It can be tempting to cut corners at this time- to justify practices that we once found deplorable. It can be tempting, but offering service that is trustworthy and honest is a sign of distinction that will be with you long after the "housing crisis" is over. Agents who sell houses from under people, forget their NAR code of ethics, or treat their buyers and sellers as commodities will be remembered not only by other agents but by those buyers who just won't make the referral. So kudos to all of you who continue to provide excellent customer service even though times are tougher and money is tighter.

Also, don't take things TOO seriously like this poor man. If the stress is getting to you, take a walk, do some meditation, pray, laugh, go to the beach, visit someone in the hospital, read a book, spend time with family, spend some time alone...

Foreclosure on the Block

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:29:45 -0500

There is a foreclosure in my neighborhood. It has been there for months. I have seen this house go from a well kept house to what it is today. I took a client to see the inside of the house. Walls were destroyed. It was amazing to see how much had changed in a few months. With REOs popping up everywhere it is difficult for those agents to keep up with all of them. Some agents have hundreds, but a little bit of upkeep really make a difference.

If you have a REO do as much upkeep as you can. Maybe mow the lawn, check if people are living in the house, and if there a pool do a little upkeep. A dirty pool is unappealing but also can be dangerous.

Some real estate agents purposely do minimal upkeep. The theory is, if the house looks more like a fixer upper it will look like a better bargain. A brown lawn makes people stop. Has anyone known this to be the case?

Where to find grants for your buyers!

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:42:41 -0500

In addition to my previous post regarding 'helping out clients achieve their dream homes by using grants', I would like to give some places where to find these grants. I haven't checked all these sources but there were quite a few that should work just fine! Sometimes are GREAT lenders get busy and we should always see if there is any way to help them out a little bit. Go the extra mile. Work hard for your clients, they deserve it.

For California:

http://first-time-home-buyer-s.com/first_time_home_buyer_grant_cali.htm

For other states:

http://first-time-home-buyer-s.com/

Enjoy yourself, have an incredible day.

Josh Beckman

Gas over $4 a gallon and on the rise...

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:06:14 -0500

It's a Buyers Market.

Gas Prices are on the rise.

We are all looking for buyers who are ready and willing to buy. Even with all the advances in technology you will eventually take your clients from house you house till they find the one for them.

This can be costly especially in California These are my suggestions:

1. Plan your route. Google.com offers a "add destination" option in their driving directions option. Call ahead and time your route so you are not idly driving around or zig zagging across town.

2. Costco. They usually have the lowest gas if you live nearby. If there is no Costco nearby try these two sites to find the lowest gas in your area.

MSN Gas Finder http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx

Gas Buddy http://gasbuddy.com/

Got any other suggestions?

Do your clients need a few extra thousand to get the house they really want?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:37:02 -0500

I have been dealing with a lot of buyers who are seriously only thousands of dollars away from being able to qualify for a house. Why not help our your buyers by finding a grant or some kind of neighborhood housing style of funds. There are so many different programs out there that help the first time home buyers along and even a few of your investors.

If you are from the Orange County area you will be able to find a good amount of cities that assist your buyers in funding. This can either be silent loans or even flat out grants. In most cases it's just simply filling out an application. A few extra hours of work can really go along way in helping your clients find their very own dream home.

Your already on the internet, jump on your local city website and get the info.

Let's help and go the extra step for our clients. They deserve it.

Josh

Are all Realtors soon to lose their job?

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:43:18 -0500

Does this mean that Zillow and Redfin and other such companies are going to have full access to the MLS?

Just recently reported, in an article titled, "Internet-based realtors win monster settlement", stated that the

"Department of Justice has reached a proposed settlement with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) that requires NAR to let Internet-based residential real estate brokers compete with traditional brokers".

Take a look at this article, what do you think? It would be a good idea to keep on top of this subject. I'm very interested as to where this will lead. Maybe there will always be, to some degree, a need of representation for a buyer and a seller. Maybe not. I'm very interested as to what the future may hold.

Article of discussion http:www.networkworld.com/community/node/28143

Have an incredible day,

Josh

ActiveRain.com

Josh Beckman (Millennium 3 Real Estate) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:32:54 -0500

About two weeks ago I "discovered" ActiveRain and today, I took the plunge. I am excited to see the new opportunites this network will bring!