Stephen Stricklin's Blog

Well it has been a while.

Stephen Stricklin (Advance Realty) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:25:47 -0800

When many folks find out I am an agent, the first question is, well how is it going, pretty rough huh ? Well the truth is, there are still plenty of folks looking to sell and believe it or not, still plenty looking to buy. I had a client that looked at over 20 homes, and finallt found the one that they have fallen in love with. It has been crazy, but finally it is done. The fact is that, they never know if they can do it until they start to listen to a professional and understand really what is going on. And, it is still a learning experience for me as well. I spent alot of time with them, but at the end of it, they will recomend me to friends and family for treating them right and not pressuring them. I have a bunch of listings and most getting looks. It is just a matter of time before things start to go. It is even harder during the holidays, but it can only get better from here. You know, you must stay positive.

The media Strikes again !!!

Stephen Stricklin (Advance Realty) — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 11:42:30 -0700

Is it not great that at anytime, the media can dig up an old segment on any industry at any time when they have nothing else to report on that is news worthy. Well, Paris Hilton is in jail and started eating again, so what else is there ?

Lets go out and report on the media that spends nights hidden in places taking pictures and invading the privacy of eveyone and often times blowing things out of proportion and at times stating things that are not true. Well, it sure would look like that all news agencys are that way. Wouldn't it ? I know it is not true but that is the way it would look would it not?

Here is an idea ABC, Lets find the good folks that are out there that chose real estate professionals or any industry for that matter, to represent them and that were HAPPY with them. I know you can find them, call me and I will give you their names.

The point is, do not punish the entire class for one student. All you do is start casting doubt in the minds of good people and make them not trust anyone.

I just had to do it !

Stephen Stricklin (Advance Realty) — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 22:59:23 -0800

Well, It finally happened. As agressive as I want to be in this market, I had to turn away a listing and possibly give it away to a competitor. They wanted to place their home 25 % above the going market of any comp in the area. I have worked way to hard for the ones that I currently have that are over priced and have to draw the line. If someone wants to sell their home at the best price I can suggest to them to sell in a timely manner, that is what I can do for you. The market will only bring what it will bring. I am a real estate agent, not a magician. The job is to sell your home as you want it to, not to have it drag on and potentionally turn into an issue and hurt feelings and worst of all, the loss of the sale when it can happen. I want to have your home sell more than YOU want to. Believe me, It is not just a job, it is a duty.

Being green ? Only the coming pasture is greener

Stephen Stricklin (Advance Realty) — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 22:03:38 -0800

In my first blog I commented on how it was tough in the begining. Well, that itself is tough enough . Tougher yet is getting sellers to understand that the house they are selling in todays market is not going to bring what their neighbors house brought last year.Everyone thinks what they have is worth more than the next guy, and sometimes it is. Most times it is not. Whats a new agent that is just wanting to do the right thing and price the house right to sell so that his job is complete to do ? Turn down a listing ? It is hard to do that due to there being some other agent that will take the listing just to get it. And they will lock it up and waste their clients valuable time and get their hopes up. In this market, you think the right thing to do is to tie up as many listing as you can so that one will go. That is the worst thing that can happen. We are stuck in a tough market with the inflated prices and the days on market getting higher and higher all of the time. The best you can do is be honest with folks and take the ones whos trust you earn and understand you are truly looking out ofr them by being the one to make the right decision. It will shift one day, I will be around to see it.

It ain't easy being green

Stephen Stricklin (Advance Realty) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:58:31 -0800

Any and all comments on the following blog are my personal opinions and for purpose of information sharing ideas and best practices.

As a relatively new agent in the market, just my luck to face a market that has come to what many feel as a dead market. I can see where many feel that way as I have heard so many stories about high dollar commission checks that had no end in sight. While I have not gotten rich, not yet anyway, the market has been all that I was promised coming into it when I started. No it is not easy coming into the market when I did. As tough as it has been, it does not seem to be that difficult to make a dollar to provide truly quality services. HONESTY is going to be the service that pays off in the long run. I have had a few opportunities to not be up front and possibly get into a deal that may be questionable, but I have to sleep at night and mentor agents the way to truly provide FIDUCIARY duties to my clients. The hardest thing to do is to deliver the news that not only will disappoint a client, but not pay your bills and put food on your table.But IT MUST BE DONE ! Oh, there is that nasty "F" word. FIDUCIARY is a word that was created for the person that truly signs your check, your client. Do them well and it will pay you back times over. The money is there, it just has to be earned.