In March 2008, Governor Gregoire signed into law a reform of the Washington real estate license law that will go into effect in July 2010.
The new law establishes license definitions, increases educational and licensing requirements, and increases supervision and oversight of new agents by their designated brokers. And, speaking of brokers, there will be a lot more of them. As a matter of fact, every agent will be called a "broker". Associate brokers will be called "managing brokers" and designated brokers will remain "designated brokers".
Besides the vocabulary changes, fingerprint and background checks will be required for new licensees.
Education requirements for new agents will increase from 60 hours to 90 hours and will include the Fundamentals Course and the Practices Course.
Prerequisite experience for a managing broker will increase from 2 years to 3 years.
First renewal requirements for agents (soon to be called brokers) will increase from 60 to 90 hours and will have to include Advanced Practises and Real Estate Law.
Increased supervision over new agents by managing brokers will be required during their first 2 years.
While new agents entering the industry after July 2010 may dread these more stringent requirements, they merely represent a minimum standard that should have been in place all along. I remember taking the Practices course in my first year in real estate, wondering how I was ever allowed to receive a license without first completing this class.
I have witnessed countless agents entering the business without a clue and without any guidance from their designated brokers. They are basically cut loose to learn by practice and experimentation. How scary for the agent and their unknowing clients?
In the past, clients who wanted to ensure that they are working with an experienced agent looked for designations such as GRI and ABR, or for an agent with a brokers license. This would assure them that the agent they're dealing with has gone above and beyond the required minimum professional education. Setting the education requirements at a higher level should make clients feel more confident in their agents' skills.
They say "A rising tide lifts all boats", and I hope the more stringent requirements in order to become a real estate agent or broker, will help elevate the entire industry. It's about time, and it's a shame the changes don't go into effect until 2010.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number.
When I bought my laptop computer, I was asked by the sales clerk if I also wanted to purchase a warranty. I considered that I had just spent a lot of money on my new computer. Did I really want to spend more on a warranty when I could be buying cool gadgets and accessories instead? And by the time the computer breaks, the prices for laptops will have gone down and I could get a new one for less. On the other hand... it's not just the hardware I needed to think about. This computer would house my files, documents and pictures. Did I really want to risk that?
I ended up buying the warranty. It gave me piece of mind and I actually had cause to use it just before it expired.
Considering the purchase of a home warranty will probably bring up similar considerations. Most people wouldn't mind having one, but who should pay for it?
By the time everything in the contract has been agreed upon, sellers will most likely have made concessions to the buyers and are not inclined to pay for additional services. Buyers, on the other hand, will have so many other expenses after they close on the house that the last thing on their mind is spending another $300 to $400 on a home warranty. As soon as the dishwasher breaks down, two months after move-in, they'll most likely re-think that thought.
In some states it is mandatory that the option to purchase a home warranty is offered in the real estate contract.
What is covered by a home warranty differs from company to company, but most appliances, plumbing, electrical items, ductwork, heating and air conditioning are generally covered. The client pays a service call fee for a technician to come to the house to make the repairs. If the items can't be repaired, they are generally replaced with a "like" product.
The main benefits a home warranty offers are:
• Buyers receive the peace of mind that things in their new home won't break down once they move in.
• Sellers won't need to have to deal with buyers calling them after the sale of their home, asking them to pay to fix any problems with items in the home breaking down.
• During the marketing of a listing, a property that offers home warranty coverage for the buyers will have an edge over a similar property that is on the market without a warranty.
• For the Realtor® involved in the transaction there's the peace of mind that his/her clients won't have to deal with pesky repair bills, should something break down.
This last benefit made it real easy for me to settle the question of who should pay for the home warranty.
I will!
If one of my buyer clients purchases a house that doesn't already come with a warranty, I will pay for one at closing. For my seller clients I'll purchase a home warranty when they list the house. This way, if something breaks during the time the home is listed, they don't have to worry about having to spend more money and the buyers won't have to worry about it after the purchase.
It made sense for my computer and it certainly makes sense for a home purchase.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number. Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping my clients make informed decisions and providing exceptional skill and service.
Have you heard the saying "A man with three watches never knows what time it is"? This applies to gauging the real estate market. Consumers, adept at finding property data on the Internet have experienced that data from Zillow.com is different from Trulia.com, and a home's tax assessment is a whole other story.
Turning to the news isn't very helpful either, as you often hear conflicting reports depending on the media spin. Real estate is extremely local and detailed. For example, "Home sales in Thurston county are down" is not the same as "Home values in Thurston county are down". This isn't just a nuance; these are differences that completely change the picture. It's like taking your temperature with a tire pressure gauge rather than a thermometer.
Even if average values in Thurston county are reported to have declined, the county is broken down into 16 regions, and some of them are appreciating in value, while others are in stark decline. That's the difference between taking your temperature between your toes, versus under your tongue. You'll be hard pressed to find detailed data that breaks the market down to the accurate degree. Even the sophisticated valuation program we, as Realtors®, , have access to through the title companies, are generally not a true indicator of market values, as some sales are distressed sales (foreclosures, pre-foreclosure) some are sales among relatives (divorce or estate settlements) and other sales are inflated because the seller is paying the buyers' closing costs and financing fees.
Here is the definition of True Market Value:The amount a willing and able buyer will pay for a property in an arms length transaction on the open market.
I wish all I had to do is turn to Zillow.com when I do a market analysis for a particular property. Hey, it only takes 5 seconds for them to spit out a value and I'm done. Any Realtor®, worth his salt, will look at recent sales (6 months or less) within the target neighborhood and inspect every comp to see how long it was on the market, who bought it, how the sale was financed and if the home has similar features and upgrades. No algorithm has been configured yet that can automate this process. It requires a knowledgeable real estate professional. To get a clear reading on the local market conditions, the only and best gauge required is a skilled Realtor®.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number.
Olympia WA is a beautiful and unique city. Discover this city photo by photo and visit the popular viewpoints, as well as the not-so-well-known treasures.
This picture gallery gives the visitor to Olympia and the surrounding communities of Boston Harbor, Tumwater, Lacey a taste of the local flavor and an impression of the spectacular beauty of the views, art and architecture.
While the financial markets are in upheaval, we hear "experts" tell us we're in a recession, some claiming we've hit rock bottom, others prophesising another great depression. Perceptions are very powerful in such volatile financial times. People with the impression that we're on a fast train to the bottom are pulling their money in a panic; and people acting in panic cause others to panic.
Nobody can be certain exactly what time it is.
If the market is like the face of a clock, with 12 o'clock being a BOOM and 6 o'clock being BUST, I think we can all agree we're currently somewhere between noon and 6:00 p.m. We're heading down, but all markets are cyclical. There are always ups and downs.
Everyone knows that the best time to invest money is in the time frame within the bottom half of the clock.
In the movie "It's a wonderful Life", while everybody panicked and pulled out their money, Mr. Potter remained calm and picked up bargains, and George Bailey was smart and held steady. They had a strategy and held to it. Panic is not a strategy.
These are momentous times that our children will be reading about in their history books. I see incredible bargains come across the MLS on a daily basis. It's a time where cool heads will prevail and savvy people will build their fortunes for tomorrow.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number. Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping you make informed decisions and providing you with exceptional skill and service.
The annual National Solar & Green Building Tour is showcasing Olympia area homes, commercial buildings and building innovations. For anyone who's heart beats faster at the sound of terms such as "radiant floor heating", "passive solar design", "tank less water heaters" or "rainwater catchment systems", or for people who have always been curious as to what "building green" looks like in practice, this is the opportunity to see how it's done.
On Saturday, September 27th, from 10:00pm until 4:00pm, local buildings will be held open for visitors. Some of the locations will be hosted by guides who can point out and discuss the "green" features. The tour itself is self-guided and free of charge.
Up for viewing are some very interesting homes, such as Dee Williams's "little house", Dean Edenstrom's straw bale constructed cottage or the Blankenship's passive solar home.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number. Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping you make informed decisions and providing you with exceptional skill and service.
Celebrate the Cypress, a new model in the hard-to-find one-story home market.
Ramblers are rare - and quality, new construction Ramblers are even harder to find.
The Cypress model is a 2610 square feet, 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home in the Campus Highlands Estates community on Lacey's Woodlands Golf Course.
Views of the golf course dominate the inside of the home and the outside features a covered patio, perfect for entertaining with a built-in refrigerator, BBQ and gas fire pit.
The interior is appointed with Brazilian Teak hardwood flooring, generously sized spaces, elegant wainscoting on the walls, as well as crown mouldings. The home surprises with an innovative floor plan, design and materials.
Some of the distinctive features are radiant heat flooring in the master bathroom, quartz counter tops in the kitchen, and silent, self-closing custom kitchen cabinets.
Like all the Bennett Homes at Campus Highlands Estates, this beauty is "built green", with energy saving and low environmental impact features. The Cypress is available on several lots and prices range from the mid $500,000 to the high $600,000.
The model home is open to the public 7 days a week, or simply call me to arrange your own personal tour.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number. Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping you make informed decisions and providing you with exceptional skill and service.
Did you know that Puget Sound Energy customers can receive up to $100.00 for having a certain premium efficiency clothes washer? Or that up to $20.00 are available for ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures? Better yet, $350.00 are rebated for an ENERGY STAR qualified natural gas furnace and up to $350.00 for a qualifying high efficiency air-source heat pump.
There is money out there just waiting to be claimed.
Do you have a high-efficiency natural gas tank water heater with an energy factor of .62 or higher? That's worth $50.00.
Up to $1,600 in rebates is available for insulation in qualified natural gas heated homes.
If you're planning on building a home, these rebates can be a powerful incentive to purchase energy efficient appliances. If you were toying with getting a tank-less water heater, the available rebate is $150.00 for a high-efficiency natural gas tank-less water heater with an energy factor of .80 or higher.
You can also receive a FREE energy-efficient shower-head and bathroom-faucet aerator that will save you up to 20% on your water bill and energy bill.
Puget Sound Energy's FREE lamp and bulb exchange events offer residential electric customers the opportunity to exchange two old lamps for new ENERGY STAR lamps (several styles are available) and four incadescent light bulbs for four compact fluorescent light bulbs which use up to 75% less energy.
When buying a new home, it helps to have a "Built Green"/Energy Star educated Realtor at your side, who can point out the home's energy saving and environmentally friendly features, as well as the available cash incentives for the home owner.
All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number. Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping you make informed decisions and providing you with exceptional skill and service.
Real Estate is a high energy, fast passed, be-on-your-toes kind of business. It's easy to be so busy working transactions, prospecting, marketing and pleasing clients that we don't even notice that we're in burnout mode. Burnout doesn't just occur suddenly, like flipping off a light switch. It's more like the gradual power drain of a dimmer switch. Taking the steps necessary to keep the power on high is important, because lets' face it: You're no good to the transaction or to your clients when you're operating in burnout mode.
1. Create Personal Time
Find balance by scheduling time for yourself. Pick a time each week for activities you enjoy; be it lunch with friends every Wednesday, Yoga on Tuesday mornings, or playing golf on Friday afternoons. Put it on your calendar as if it were a listing appointment. You wouldn't miss a listing appointment, would you?
2. Be in Charge of your Calendar
Don't let your clients have free reign over your day by letting them pick the appointment times. It's not a sign of good service to be available "whenever". Most clients wonder if you have any other business besides them. Present them with two options and let them make the choice.
3. Schedule your Work Week
Set aside specific time to do the things that must be done in order to keep the business moving smoothly. Schedule time each week to write cards, to do your finances, to review files etc. By setting aside specific times you'll know if someone wants to see homes Monday morning at 9:00 A.M. that it won't work, because Monday mornings are set aside for administrative work.
4. Create Policies
Decide what you will do, how you will do things and when you'll do things. For example: I only work with clients. I will not meet strangers in front of listings to show them homes. If someone calls to see a listing, I'll ask if they're already working with an agent and explain that I'd like to initially meet them at the office and go over my buyers' program with them.
5. Teach your Clients how you work
Let your clients know up front how you work, when you'll return calls, how late you'll show homes etc. Let them know that you have professional policies and explain what they are. Tell them what they can expect from you, as well as what you expect from them. Most clients will appreciate and respect your boundaries.
6. Use Systems
A great way to leverage your time and energy is to use automated tools such as a website, drip marketing, automated feedback systems and online newsletter campaigns. These systems will work while you focus on valuable tasks and quality clients.
7. Team Up
Find a colleague you respect and set up a mutual back-up system to fill in for each other's home inspections, showings, or vacations. Going on vacation isn't very relaxing if you get 10 phone calls a day, have to coordinate appointments and check your email. You can compensate each other by repaying in hours of time, paying an fee, or do a commission sharing scenario.
8. Organize your Workspace
Don't waste precious time searching for a client's file, scrambling to throw together a listing presentation, or looking for that inspection report. It's more enjoyable to work in a pleasant and organized space. Organize your desk area so everything has its place and keep plenty of stock on hand. Set aside time each week to go over your space, buying extra printer ink, stocking up on fax cover pages and cleaning out your in-box (see tip #3).
9. Be in Charge of the Electronic Leash
While computers, cell phones, and PDAs are useful tools that can enhance your efficiency, many times we let them run us ragged. Only answer your cell phone when you're available to take calls. Decide how often you'll check your emails (you don't need to answer them as soon as they come in). Prioritize what calls and emails need immediate response and what can wait until later. One of my colleague's voicemail promises that he'll return all calls within 3 minutes. Why set yourself up for that kind of stress?
10. Hire Help
You can't be an expert in everything. Focus on what you do best and hire out the rest. I know agents who bake their own cookies for open houses, create their own flyers, design their own web sites and craft their clients' closing gifts. There are so many services out there to help make our job easier. Focus on your area of expertise and let the other professional do their job to support you.
By implementing just a few of these tips you'll be on the road to stress reduction. By taking charge, creating balance and saving time, you'll gain control of your business and better enjoy your career.
With fantastic clients, rewarding real estate careers, and a solid support team, my partners and I feel sincere gratitude and the desire to celebrate with, and give back to the people who make it all possible: Our Clients.
The 2008 annual Key Group client appreciation BBQ turned out to be another fun-filled and exciting event.
Held at Burfoot County Park in Olympia, we enlisted the talent of drummer George Jetson and the support of the folks at Kidz-in-Motion with their popular bouncing castle and tumbling bus.
On the menu were classic picnic standbys such as BBQ pulled pork (which Al slow cooked for 24 hours), hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw, water melon, potato chips and chocolate cake (yumm).
Young and old had a blast with the games, such as the egg roll, three-legged race, water balloon toss, bobbing for apples and a pinata. With generous donations from many of our support professionals, we were able to give out several great prize packages, such as Seattle Mariner tickets, movie baskets, toys and gift certificates.
I love a good party but my favorite thing about our client party is to re-connect with the families I've helped find a home. It feels to me like a family reunion. I can't wait until next year.
Sandy Nelson Realtor® Olympia Real Estate
The new law establishes license definitions, increases educational and licensing requirements, and increases supervision and oversight of new agents by their designated brokers. And, speaking of brokers, there will be a lot more of them. As a matter of fact, every agent will be called a "broker". Associate brokers will be called "managing brokers" and designated brokers will remain "designated brokers".
n the real estate contract.
Have you heard the saying "A man with three watches never knows what time it is"? This applies to gauging the real estate market. Consumers, adept at finding property data on the Internet have experienced that data from Zillow.com is different from Trulia.com, and a home's tax assessment is a whole other story. 
The annual National Solar & Green Building Tour is showcasing Olympia area homes, commercial buildings and building innovations. For anyone who's heart beats faster at the sound of terms such as "radiant floor heating", "passive solar design", "tank less water heaters" or "rainwater catchment systems", or for people who have always been curious as to what "building green" looks like in practice, this is the opportunity to see how it's done.
There is money out there just waiting to be claimed.
Puget Sound Energy's FREE lamp and bulb exchange events offer residential electric customers the opportunity to exchange two old lamps for new ENERGY STAR lamps (several styles are available) and four incadescent light bulbs for four compact fluorescent light bulbs which use up to 75% less energy.
3. Schedule your Work Week
8. Organize your Workspace
Here is one more tip. My gift to you:
;)
;)
