I have a philosophy in being a real estate agent, that is akin to performing Adult CPR... Check, Call, Care....The three C's.... I'm certified to administer Adult CPR, and the three C's fits my real estate business... Check on a clients RE transaction, i.e., mortgage, survey, inspections, etc... Call or contact client when I have information they need to know, or call them just to reassure them.... Care for their problems, and get them solved...If it concerns the client, I care that the situation, whatever it is, gets resolved, and FAST.... So try incorporating a little CPR into your practice, and see if your clients respond....

I often wonder when I drive up to meet some clients, and hop out of my Big, Brown, Burban, that these customers look me over and wonder, "Is this our Agent?" Well the good news for them is, yes, I'm your Agent, and I dress for YOUR success...Yes, I'm bizzy casual, sometimes in my beach sandals... First impression may mean something to some people, but to me, I aim to make a 'lasting' impression...And I aim to do that through quality real estate service, and good customer service... Do I need to wear a tie and sportcoat? I do when the occasion calls for it...Do I need to wear my Topsiders? When the occasion calls for it... If dress for success was a 'huge success', then everybody should dress their best, and should be rich.... But it is not the case.... Dress for YOUR particular business, profession, or just plain job...Agents in Raleigh, may very well dress different than us at the beach... But the customer shall know how sincere, honest, professional you and I are, not by our dress, but how we serve as their Agent... The last impact, is the final impact....

My website is www.thecrystalcoastrealtor.com and I'm amazed at the traffic my site gets...For example, in this last week, I have had 81 visitors to my website...Have I captured any of that, maybe, maybe not.... To me, the idea is not to capture every visitor, but a portion of them. I have designed my website to offer community info, school reports, and a search for homes FREE...I want people to come to my site as a one stop shop for home and area info.... I may be a small time agent at the moment, but with two closings this year, and four pendings on the board, I have tons of new leads that I'm hoping to convert to clients...and I spend $0.00 on advertising...I get most of my leads from the internet and referrals...I like Dirk Zellers idea of working horizontal... I believe my plan is working and in time, and my business will grow, because when you've been at the bottom, the only way to go is UP.....

I was reading some chatlines the other day about people walking their dogs, and allowing the dog to relieve itself in a neighbors yard and some people didn't seem to mind if their animal did this, and others were furious they would let the owner do such a thing...

Maybe this could be an item to speak with to a dog owner, who is looking at buying a home in a subdivision or neighborhood....Ask the potential buyer, "Where are you going to walk the dog, and how will that affect your neighbors, and do you as a dog owner have a problem with BAGGING the remains?"

I know you will get some really weird looks and reactions from the buyers, but isn't that a valid concern?  I think so, because maybe a neighborhood with a dog park may suit the buyer better...

Just an item to think about, and a possible item a buyer hasn't thought of, but I believe we can look good as agents to bring up small matters like this, it could save a lot of grief between neighbors....

When you as a client are putting in an offer or looking over offers on your property, you will eventually need to initial and sign 5-6 ORIGINALs of the now accepted contract to purchase... Nowadays, many agents and mortgage companies may want to do shortcuts, and say that faxed copies are good enough, and under certain conditions, and if the commission rules allow it, a signed fax copy may have to be used. But if at all possible demand, and make agents keep in the habit of getting 5-6 signed ORIGINALS so that your Agent will have one for you and any other party to the RE transaction, that may request one, or need it... Just checkout the FHA and VA Addendums, and what does page two say....'original'.... Checkout my website, www.thecrystalcoastrealtor.com Steve McCurdy Brass Lantern Realty 252-349-3743

I just went thru my first septic inspection here in Eastern NC down in Hubert, and we had a very professional inspector named Greg Shoemaker of Sea Coast Inspections... He and his crew explained to my Buyer and me what the inspection entailed, what to look for, and what is ILLEGAL to do to a septic system...What an education, despite the smell.... If you have an older home you've listed or a Buyer who wants an older home, septic inspections are a good way of protecting who you represent, but also your business... Greg said that he recently saw where a two year old home's septic system failed...So it can happen to new home also....

I think that everyone, agents, sellers, buyers, and anyone involved in RE transactions, really need to beware of nightmares like this... It could save us all alot of headaches....

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You as a consumer expect good customer service from any industry, especially when it involves one of the biggest ticket items you will ever buy or sell.

Take Lexus for example, they don't preach or strive for customer service, they LIVE it...In Australia, I was informed that a local Lexus dealership has quite a customer relations plan that is quite impressive and succesful, that some customers buy a Lexus before they even have looked at a particular model, or test driven the car....Now how is that for SALES...Wouldn't it be fantastic if I could sell you a home before you previewed any MLS Listings, or done a walkthru of the property? Or, it could be just as fantastic, if I sold your home before a buyer even previewed the home....Now that would be some great customer service for Buyers and Sellers...

Now that type of selling probably won't happen much in a real estate agents career, but my gaining you as a raving fan of my real estate services is my goal, and I can only do that thru GREAT customer service...I take my lead from Lexus, I'm not striving for good customer service, from using my real estate services, you will GET IT...

So expect the best from me, or anyone you encounter who offers a service...