Sarah's Blog

Announcing Southbend Lakes Resident's Assc WEBSITE!

2008-06-24T11:11:45Z

For all of those that live in Southbend Lakes in Port St Lucie - the website is back up and running for the resident's association. Becoming a member of the association is voluntary and the annual fee is $20. View the "About" section for more info.

The web address is: www.SBLRA.org - if you are a Southbend Resident, please share with your neighbors!

Home-Buying Match Maker - Hoodeo

2008-06-24T11:05:44Z

As much as I love AR, I also am addicted to InMan and I found this recent article about Hoodeo - a matchmaker website that asks questions about your lifestyle and then tells you where you should move.

I'm always one to try out new technology and the first appearance of this site was that of Web 2.0-glory - very appealing and easy to navigate.

My hubster and I aren't looking to move (yet), but we always pose the question as to where we would move if and when we do. Well according to Hoodeo, we are suited for Keller, TX. Interesting. Any Keller, TX realtors out there? Maybe we can "hook up" in a few years - when we decide it's time to move. Is Keller near the water? My hubby and I want to live on or near the water (lake, ocean, stream, facet - whatever).

This new site is almost like searching online dating systems - but only for houses - How fun!

A Good Source for ClipArt in your Blog

2008-06-11T14:22:17Z

It can be discouraging searching for images on Google and it can also be infringing on Copywright laws.
I recently attended a seminar at my local community college on Copywrights and Patents and I learned that Microsoft Office's ClipArt and Pictures are free to use any where and everywhere.

So without further adoo I am bringing to you a Tutorial on ClipArt for your Blog
At least this is my method and if I am creating unnecessary steps please comment my error!

Step One: Go to www.Office.Microsoft.com/ClipArt and put your Keyword in. For this example we will use "Sun" and I am searching for ClipArt only. To narrow your search, click the small arrow and pick your option (Pictures vs ClipArt).

Step Two: Find the icon that suites your needs and click the small Double Paper button at the bottom. This saves the item to your "Clipboard."
NOTE: If there is a message that you need to allow some ActiveX control, just click "Yes" or "allow" - that activates your Clipboard.

Step Three: Open Microsoft Word and go to Edit > Paste. This should paste your picture in Word. Now click on your picture so that it is outlined and selected. Now Right Click on the picture and select "Copy."

Step Four: Open Paint (in Start > Programs > Accessories > Paint) and go to Edit > Paste

Step Five: Go to File > Save As > then name your Picture and MAKE SURE you save as a JPEG (Paint may default to .BMP which isn't always uploadable in blogs.)

Tips and Hints:
- If you have selected "copy" in your Word document but when you go over to Paint and try to select Paste, the Paste option isn't there close Paint. Go back to Word > Right Click Copy > ReOpen Paint > Go to Edit > Paste.

- If you accidentally save as BMP it's okay, don't delete it. Go to the file wherever you saved it, double click. If it opens in a window like below click on the icon that I've pointed to with the Red Arrow. That opens your BMP picture back up in Paint. Now click File > Save As > JPEG. I have done this plenty of times including doing this tutorial!!

6/07 : Open House in PSL - on behalf of Waterstone Realty

2008-06-06T13:08:22Z

This open house is posted on behalf of Kathy Pierides of Waterstone Realty (she will have an AR Profile soon).

1062 SE Albatross Ave, Port St Lucie FL 34984
Directions: Floresta Drive, East on Albatross Ave - close to Floresta Elementary - PSL's only "A" rated school

Home will be open Saturday, June 7th 12.30pm - 3.30pm.

Sarah Taylor with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage will be on sight giving information on how this home can be financed with no money down.

Listed: June 05, 2008
1350 Sq/Ft Living Area
2010 Total Sq/Ft
Build 1986
Asking $109,000 with 6% back towards closing and down payment
New flooring and interior/exterior paint!
Construction: Stucco over Frame
Appliances Include: Ceiling Fans, Dishwasher, Microwave, Range, Refrigerator, Smoke Detector
Interior: Eat-In Kitchen, Cathedral/Vaulted Ceiling, Pantry, Split Plan, Walk-In Closet
Exterior: Fence
Prop Taxes / year : $3,210/2007 City/County Tax

Contact Kathy Pierides at 772-337-1677

Information herein may not be accurate. Persons relying on above information are advised to personally verify said information before relying upon the same.
Sarah Taylor is blogging this information as a courtesy and the company that she works for does not endorse any of the above material.

Goofin' with Email Signatures

2008-05-30T17:47:21Z

Pardon the irrelevance but I wanted to try out an email signature that I found on a blog by Brad Anderson.

Here it is:

Sarah Taylor Home Mortgage Consultant Wells Fargo Home Mortgage 729 S Federal Hwy Suite 200 Stuart, FL, 34994	Mobile: 772-485-3214 Sarah.Taylor@WellsFargo.com

Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Brass tacks and hard facts - the way the media should portray the market!

2008-05-29T16:21:35Z

I found this chart interesting and thought that I would share it. It's a compilation of economic analyst's forcasted home prices through the current housing market correction.

Let's get down to brass tacks and talk about what we know and what analysts are predicting:

With the "Credit Crunch" you hear of banks tightening their belts and no more 100% financing. For a conventional mortgage this is due to Mortgage Insurance companies (you know, that extra insurance you pay when you borrow more than 80% loan to value) not insuring riskier types of loans and is mainly due to the decline in the housing market.
*Note: Fannie Mae and PMI are the green line.

So with that knowledge, it would be wise to tell our inquirers that the credit policy can loosen when home prices bottom out and the market stops declining.
That's where our handy chart comes in! Here we find that home prices are predicted to bottom out as early as 2009 to as late as 2010. Although the pink line shows the prices will drop to be 80% less than what they originally sold for. The blue line is Wells Fargo's own economist.

Personally I don't brag to offer "Creative Financing" and never did. I do, however, offer FHA in conjuntion with Down Payment Assistance which allows a seller to contribute funds towards down payment and closing costs - and in the happiest of transactions the buyer would walk away with 100% financing.
Call me old fashioned but I encourage my customers to save-save-save and don't buy more than they can afford.

Contact me for more smart financing ideas.

- Sarah Taylor
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Consultant
772-485-3214

Will they refer someone else to me?

2008-05-27T14:59:04Z

For my daily dose of motivation I was reading Jeffrey Gitomer's sales article about this topic - satisfaction versus loyalty.

Is it enough to have a "satisfied" customer?
Gitomer's classic example is: Would you rather have a "satisfied" or "loyal" spouse?
Hmmm... I'll take the latter.

So why blog about this? Buyers have lots of options right now. I may be in the mortgage industry but I know that my pre-approved customer can go to anyone that they wish. So I better provide some darn good service, prove value to them, and start to create a relationship from the beginning.
I've witnessed this recently with a real estate agent that was showing some properties to my pre-approved clients. Needless to say my buyers used another agent to find a property and it turned into a big un-communicating fiasco. Bottom line is that if you prove value first - show you're working for the customer, provide needed information, prove you'll take care of them - you'll establish loyalty and that goes a lot further than "satisfaction."

The full article is here.
Sign up for his weekly e-zine - it's great.

Your Success Takes Center Stage - Free event for Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches!

2008-05-21T11:48:43Z

For all of our local Treasure Coast and Palm Beach realtors - we appreciate your hard work and dedication in what you do for our markets. That's why Wells Fargo is bringing to you an incredible event to help you do your business better! And it's FREE, too!

Here is our official flyer and all the details below:

For Treasure Coast Realtors - Boston National Title has chartered a bus and will be driving us down!

***** Please RSVP here and use the code: CSWPB08 *****

For questions or for an actual copy of the flyer please email me!

You Can't Make Money - You Have to Earn It

2008-05-19T18:03:47Z

I'm fresh out of training and today was reality check numero uno!
As stated in my previous blog I come from a banking branch where a lot of referrals are fed to me from the customers that bank there. Now that I'm at Wells Fargo I have to self-source my own business.

Today I was determined to get busy and start earning some customers.

Important Note: I cringe when I hear a manager, co-worker, or professional say "Let's make some money!" The only people that make money are those that work in the mint. I feel that you earn money. You provide value and exceptional service and you earn the prospect's business and loyalty.

It is with this thought that I have a hard time swallowing the advice "go make relationships with realtors." I haven't interviewed many realtors but I'm sure they wouldn't care to just send me business out of the blue after I introduce myself. Now I know there is more to it that that - you tell them what you can do - you use some industry jargon - you pitch them on how long you've been in the business... all that average-joe crap.

Here is my approach - and where I started with item number 4 on my "critical six" list of things to do today.

-- Contact and partner with FSBOs (as a lender) to help them create a unique property. Tell them about Temporary buydowns and FHA with the DAP - really coach them and tell them that I can help their callers. So I [hypothetically] get all these referrals from FSBOs and then I funnel them to the realtors that I want to do business with because not all those leads from the FSBOs are going to end up buying the FSBO's property.
How ingenious is that??

So I contact five FSBO's today and it wasn't what I expected. Is cold calling ever what you expect though?

Number one wasn't actively selling his house anymore and he told me this after I rambled on and on like a nervous nut. Mental Note : next time don't ramble so much and let the listener provide some feedback
Number two sounded intrigued and asked how I was going to provide these "unique" benefits and then told me she was a lender. Oh jeez!!
Number three wasn't home and I didn't leave a message becaue I hadn't thought out an answering machine pitch. You may roll your eyes now.
Number four was placid but somewhat interested so I told her I would email her more info. Barf - who cares about brochures and sales pitches after you get them off the phone. Mental Note : become more interesting
Number five also wasn't actively selling. He was just testing the waters to see what type of calls he would get - bet he didn't expect mine!

I can't stand to cold call in the office because I feel like everyone is listening so I did it in my car. I feel somewhat accomplished since at least one person was remotely interested. I know that these things take time and you have to learn to perfect your dialog. I'll report back how this is going because I plan to do it every day.

For all the realtors who have read this far - congratulations - but seriously, what do you think of this idea? Am I wasting my time working with FSBOs? I figure that if I can build a relationship with the FSBO I would also be able to introduce them to a listing agent if they felt they weren't able to do it themselves.
Anything else I should be asking or telling them?

Big Move to Wells Fargo!

2008-05-05T14:42:07Z

You could say that I "grew up" at Washington Mutual. I started as a bank teller back in 2003 just out of high school. Over five years I climbed the corporate ladder and found myself in their Home Loans department doing mostly refinances in their banking branches. I learned the ropes in lending and then soon realized that it doesn't pay to be with a company that may be a bit shaky. No speculation here - just my personal perception. I looked around and saw that Wells Fargo seemed to have their act together and made the strategic move. The only thing is that NOW I don't sit in the bank branch and get fed bank customer referrals - I have to go out and get those leads and customers myself!

Thus begins my journey to market myself to realtors, FSBOs, local business professionals, and whomever else will lend me their ear.

I'm excited about it because I have been studying marketing and public relations and have read enough about customer service and giving value - enough to know what works and what doesn't work. I have ideas and plans on how to make it and what to do to build relationships with the key people that matter.

Watch and see the what happens! Advice, comments, and opinions are appreciated!