honesty: Buyers Agency Agreement.....The Great Debate - 07/22/08 01:50 AM
Ah the great debate......To Use Or Not To Use A Buyers Agency
Agreement. I have read many a posts with varying opinions on
using the form. All good legitimate reasons to or
not to use it. Personally I do not require my buyers to sign
one. I believe that they have … (9 comments)
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honesty: Brutally Honest - 07/18/08 10:03 PM
Is being honest the course we should all follow? When on a listing appointment I try to tell my prospective clients and customers the truth. I sugar coat what needs to be sugar coated. I think we all do it. ("It's a buyer's market. It's taking some time for things to … (12 comments)
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honesty: The Gong Show Returns! - 07/14/08 09:20 PM
I was watching a commercial for the upcoming The Gong Show...a remake (or copy) of the 1970's series. It looks way more harsh than the old one was. Now, a lot of you won't remember this show because you weren't even born yet but basically they have 'talented' (or not) people perform and … (47 comments)
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honesty: Part 5 Believe in yourself always, compete with anyone, and never create self defeating prophecies - 07/11/08 01:59 AM
When I was younger my Grandmother was a major inspiration to me. She reminded me over and over that I was born with brains and I should use them appropriately. She never let up on the idea that I could accomplish and do anything I wanted to, and she said there were no … (10 comments)
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honesty: Agents! Stop Stretching the Truth! - 07/09/08 01:37 AM
Now that you have all stopped rolling around on the floor laughing, please hear what I have to say. I just did a very involved market analysis for a property I hope to list. In the details I sent along in an email with comps attached I had to constantly state … (4 comments)
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honesty: House hunting, specialist Joseph C. Foster Realtor of Desert Hills Realty tri-cities, washington - 07/05/08 04:13 PM
Contact me to find a home or sale your home I can help you! I am an e-PRO Realtor in the Tri-Cities Washington area of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland Washington.
Joseph C. Foster Realtor e-PRO of Desert Hills Realty www.MyTriCityAgent.com I am an easy going laid back Agent that wants to help … (0 comments)
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honesty: Do agents think when inputting listings? - 06/28/08 11:23 AM
There are things that I find hilarious as I wander through the listings...
I'm working on a market whiff... kind of a pre-CMA to see if the property will be priced in the ball park... and I am looking through a bunch of listings. And I keep thinking that in some … (9 comments)
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honesty: iTeam Investigates... at MY listing!?! - 06/28/08 12:05 AM
And it wasn't a bad thing.
The story won't air until next month (July), but they were filming in one of my listings. Specifically, they were showing a property that was staged with a live-in home manager. Showhomes of Atlanta is the vendor that is doing the job correctly in this … (12 comments)
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honesty: Golf and the Art of Real Estate - 06/26/08 12:12 PM
I have been playing golf for much longer than I have been doing Real Estate. I have found that many of the same principles of golf also apply to real estate, or any other profession or life activity for that matter.
What is the first lesson anyone should know about golf? … (66 comments)
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honesty: Are You a SINGLE AGENT of God? - 06/24/08 04:29 PM
Recently, I read the duties of a Florida REALTOR(r) when they act as a SINGLE AGENT. It reminds me of how my relationship with God should be. So I asked myself, "Are you a single agent of God?"
These are the duties of a single agent according to the FAR Brokerage Relationship Notice:
SINGLE AGENT … (6 comments)
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honesty: Be honest, why not? Ask my children... - 06/20/08 10:24 PM
Honesty is described by Webster's dictionary as: 1 truthful: trustworthy 2)a sincere or fair (honest effort) b. gained by fair mean's 3 frank and open.
When my children were very young I made an agreement with them...If you do something wrong and you tell me you made a mistake, and you … (14 comments)
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honesty: Promise Rings to Wedding Rings - It's about committment - 06/15/08 08:53 PM
I had the priviledge of officiating my sons wedding yesterday. He and his fiance (now wife) had given each other promise rings over 4 years ago to committ to being sexually pure until marriage. It was a strong statement to have the rings on display by the ring bearer and to … (8 comments)
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honesty: Mistakes are made, but it is how you handle them that counts! - 06/15/08 03:10 PM
Ok so we all make them. (Yes I am admitting I am not perfect!!) Mistakes. It isn't the mistake that will kill your creditability, but how you handle that mistake that gives you integrity.
I worked for a builder for 4 years. Even though I was the listing agent, I … (5 comments)
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honesty: Incrementalism - 06/14/08 09:40 AM
Incrementalism is a concept that a lot of people in the automotive hobby are familiar with... in theory, if not the word itself. So, let me give a definition...
Incrementalism refers to the practice of just changing things a little bit... over time... piece by piece.
This would be opposed to … (2 comments)
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honesty: Brooks and Dunn Are A Comin'' To Town !!! Glen Helen Pavillion - 06/13/08 05:57 PM
ZZ Top has announced a stop at Glen Helen Pavilion in Devore for Aug. 3. Brooks & Dunn, the chart-topping country duo who played the 2006 Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Indio, will also perform. Rodney Atkins is also on the bill. What a blast this should be, what a great line … (2 comments)
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honesty: Five Rules for Home Buyers - 06/10/08 05:15 PM
Here's some great rules to share with your buyers inorder to get them in the right state of mind for the process...
5 New Rules for Home Buyers
Surviving and thriving in the real estate market these days means following a whole new set of rules.
Here are five imperatives for … (0 comments)
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honesty: Things that remind us how we are to conduct business. - 06/04/08 04:22 PM
As I sat down today thinking about what it is that makes this business a good place to be, I wondered what things remind us of how we conduct our business in a world that seems to be growing more bent on being dishonest, walking over other people to get what … (14 comments)
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honesty: Just a day in the life - 06/03/08 06:36 PM
I woke up today...I guess that's really all the matters! As I looked around my office today I couldn't help notice how hard my agents are working. My heart goes out to them knowing that they are trying to take on the worst Real Estate Market we have seen in so … (4 comments)
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honesty: MeMe or Mimi It's All In The Name - 06/02/08 02:36 PM
This is my first Super meme or meme for that matter. I once dated a Mimi but I can't say whether she knows how important her name has now become in internet social history. Thank you goes to Joshua and Kathy Schmidt for tagging me on this new adventure.
1. Who … (2 comments)
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honesty: Ethics - Are you doing the "right" thing? - 06/01/08 06:04 PM
When I started in this business I had a horrible experience almost from day one. I had a customer that had called the listing agent on a house and told them he was working with me. My customer, who I hadn't educated because I had no idea about that, fell for … (3 comments)
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honesty: And the worst part is that it is... - 05/24/08 09:26 PM
... from REALTOR Magazine.
In the June 2008 issue, on page 42, there is the following statement.
Tip 3: Build in a preset price reduction. While all our practitioners agreed that arriving at the right price the first time is the goal, sometimes you have to be a little more flexible, … (11 comments)
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honesty: Customer Service? - 05/16/08 09:27 PM
I took a few minutes out of my busy blogging schedule today to do a brake job on my wife's van before she took the kids to the beach for a couple of days... I bought more than I needed to the other day, just to make sure that I didn't … (4 comments)
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honesty: Honesty - Power Quotes Series - 05/16/08 09:50 AM
I have come across a lot of loan officers in my time that do not practice this with their customers. The outcome is devastating when they arrive to the closing table and what was told to the customer is not what is on the paperwork. To me, it makes no sense … (7 comments)
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honesty: Honesty Is Always the Best Policy - 05/12/08 07:47 PM
I have started to see a trend in our market that is very disturbing! There seems to be agents who are beginning to tell people, what they think they want to hear, instead of the truth! I am talking specifically about listings and pricing! There were always agents who would do … (3 comments)
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honesty: How to Choose a Realtor - 05/06/08 03:36 PM
Year after year the National Association of Realtors annual survey lists reputation, honesty and trustworthiness as the top three selection criteria that sellers use to choose a real estate agent. Here's a question for you - in your experience, how do sellers (and buyers for that matter) actually determine these qualities? … (0 comments)
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honesty: Honesty - is it still the best policy? - 05/05/08 05:34 PM
It's the only policy. We have to be honest; we know that, but how easy is it, really?
Sure, you have disclosure checklists and if there's a crack in foundation wall you don't hide it with a storage unit. We all know that level of honesty (I hope.)
But what about being honest as … (5 comments)
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honesty: Bidding for listings? - 05/03/08 01:31 PM
Let me start by getting this out of the way.
Agents, this is a public post... on purpose.
If you are a seller, and you are doing your job right by interviewing a couple of different agents, you are going to run across agents that are bidding for your listing. What does … (8 comments)
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honesty: Clarification of a Possible Misperception - 05/02/08 06:15 PM
I did a post on my blog today entitled "Ten Tips for a Bright and Bold Blog!"
After I did my post, I noticed a post today entitled "Ten Best Blogging Tips" that was posted last night. I felt embarrassed! It may "appear" that I copied that idea, but I did not. I thought … (1 comments)
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honesty: Priorities - 04/30/08 11:31 PM
I wish I had the pictures.
I've been pretty lucky.
When I was growing up, we had exchange students... several. The first two came from Ecuador. We didn't have them at the same time, they were one after the other. But they were also best friends. Fernanda was the first … (4 comments)
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honesty: Is FSBO the way to go? - 04/30/08 09:52 PM
Maybe. Maybe not.
Let me draw a parallel.
I often hear from sellers that are choosing to go unrepresented that they can do just as good of a job as an agent. After all, it isn't that hard... and they can save a LOT of money. Right?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Since many of … (5 comments)
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honesty: Honesty is the Best Policy: Chattanooga filled with Great People - 04/28/08 10:04 AM
By David Israel, Business Manager - Andy Hodes & The Scenic City Team
This week as I was deciding on what tips to share with you, our audience, I was reminded of an incident that happen to my wife and I this weekend, and it just reinforces why we moved to Chattanooga.
Last Thursday … (0 comments)
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honesty: Unacceptable... - 04/26/08 02:48 PM
While coming home from ice skating with my son today, I drove by a listing. It looked kind of interesting. Pretty yard, nice area. It made me a bit curious...
So, when I got home and my son was taking his nap, I looked it up on the MLS. I'm not going … (67 comments)
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honesty: Monday, marketing Monday... - 04/14/08 10:48 PM
I think there is one thing that many real estate agents... and many sellers... forget when building a marketing plan for a house.
The intended audience has a population of one...
And that doesn't just mean the advertising and copy-writing. It can even mean the presentation of the home. Staging. Decor.
Street of … (5 comments)
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honesty: WE ARE REAL ESTATE CONSULTANTS - 04/13/08 02:10 PM
I BELIEVE THAT I AM HERE TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN THEIR ACQUISITION OF REAL ESTATE. I AM NOT HERE TO BE A SALESPERSON, BUT AS A CONSULTANT. PEOPLE ARE VERY BUSY TODAY AND NEED SOMEONE TO ASSIST AND TO BE HONEST REGARDING THEIR REAL ESTATE NEEDS. THEY CAN'T BE PUSHED. CLIENTS … (1 comments)
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honesty: Three things sellers can do to help their house sell - 04/12/08 04:02 PM
There are a lot of things that sellers can do to help seller their home faster and smoother. Here are a few. For more info, be sure to contact me to enroll in our Free Seller Seminar coming up in May.
Be Proactive.
A great example of this is a pre-listing inspection. Generally, … (5 comments)
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honesty: Things aren't always what they seem! - 04/10/08 03:10 PM
Hello,
This is Julie again, and I would like to make clear that I have changed companies, and for good reason!!! I used to believe in Distinctive Real Estate & Investments only to find out that the company that promoted family values turned out to be nothing like it appeared! I don't … (10 comments)
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honesty: Pump up the sunshine, dance, dance...? - 04/08/08 03:42 PM
Earlier, Audrey June-Forshey posted a Member's Only blog taking listing agents to task for the attitude when presenting offers to their sellers. In essence, her point was that we needed to present those offers in a positive light. I didn't completely agree. There were some very good point, and the comments … (30 comments)
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honesty: Buyers, Do You Wish You Had...? - 04/07/08 10:02 PM
A Realtor who would explain things in plain English?
A Realtor who returns calls, emails & texts promptly?
Updates on properties for sale?
An agent who has negotiating skill to get you the best value, price and terms?
An agent who knows the area you are interested in?
An agent who would not pressure you or dismiss … (0 comments)
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honesty: Reading a GFE takes some common sense. - 04/07/08 10:44 AM
I had a client who was relocating from Georgia up to Connecticut and needed a 95% LTV loan. He was adamant about doing an 80/15, and I said 'perfect, I wouldn't recommend going any other way'. He had the credit for it. Everything was peachy. At the time, I was using Principal (before they sold CITI- … (6 comments)
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honesty: "I'll just wait for my price." - 04/05/08 11:23 PM
I hear that a lot.
Let's talk a little about pricing strategies.
Everyone knows that if one wants to sell something fast, drop the price enough and the buyers will come out of the wood work. If, as an example, one has a house that might normally sell for $500,000, and … (13 comments)
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honesty: Misdleading or false advertising - The reality of the truth - 04/03/08 02:04 PM
Times are frustrating. We have been in a changing real estate/mortgage market in the last 12 months. As a lender or realtor, you really need to think outside the box at times, but in good consciousness. As a consumer, you don't know who or what to believe or trust at … (20 comments)
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honesty: Buyer beware - 04/01/08 09:18 AM
I recently negotiated a great deal for my client! The property was selling for $650,000, the loans on the property plus the selling fees amounted to $629,00, and we bought it for $630,000. I know $20,000 is not that big of a deal, but the house was really underpriced and any … (0 comments)
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honesty: Rudolf's Peanut Oil Miracle - 03/29/08 12:01 AM
I was reading a couple of posts earlier this evening, here and elsewhere, and there was a common thread of efficiency and environmental friendliness... ok, one of them was tongue in cheek about how long it would take to pay back the purchase of a hybrid.
Well, I would like to … (4 comments)
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honesty: Seller Seminar Survey - 03/26/08 12:26 PM
I posted a couple of days ago here, and yesterday on LaneBailey.com about an idea I had for a Seller Seminar.
As things like this have a tendency to do, it has changed even in the last 24 hours. People that have sold homes previously, but not that recently, or in … (2 comments)
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honesty: First time sellers? - 03/23/08 11:02 PM
We see so many seminars for first time buyers. Everyone and their assistant it seems has a seminar for first time buyers. They bring in a mortgage pro, perhaps an inspector, and talk about the issues that people face the first time they buy a house.
I think it is a … (20 comments)
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honesty: The Point of it All - 03/19/08 10:30 PM
There are times when it is important to take a step back and remember the point of it all. I turned away a prospective client this week; she wanted to list her home with me.
She is a lovely, intelligent woman suffering from what I call 2006itus. She wanted a price … (10 comments)
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honesty: Blog like nobody is watching you - 03/19/08 11:23 AM
Seriously.
Rich Jacobson, the A/R Community Builder, had a post this morning reminding people that as they post here... they are under the ever watchful eye of consumers. And there is no doubt that he is absolutely right. After making my comment, I went back to review comments. There was a … (22 comments)
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honesty: You can buy a racecar... - 03/18/08 10:55 PM
Anyone can. I just logged into Ebay, and there were 196 race cars (not street legal) listed for sale. Anyone with the cash can buy any one of these vehicles. Assuming they are current, that buyer can take that race vehicle and race it. This car just to the right is … (8 comments)
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honesty: Honest with everybody but me... - 03/18/08 01:05 PM
Being honest is a way of life in business. It's expected behavior from our clients, and everybody we do business with. Inherently we know that, "honesty is the best policy." I like to say it this way, "honesty is the only policy." Can you hear the "but" coming on?
Here it … (21 comments)
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honesty: The Real Estate Alchemist, Part III - 03/16/08 10:48 AM
This one has been kicking around in my head for a few days. I read this around the same time that I read the info for the previous installments of The Real Estate Alchemist. (I & II). As I read it, it was troubling me. I know that from what I … (9 comments)
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honesty: Should we sell our own homes? - 03/15/08 09:44 PM
Ok, not today...
Seriously, though. I ran across a post by Cynthia Tilghman asking if we would hire ourselves. It gave me a different thought though. I hinted at it in my response to her.
She asked if we would... If we looked right, and said the right things.
But, SHOULD … (16 comments)
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honesty: This is RICH!!! - 03/14/08 12:01 AM
OMG, I can barely contain myself. Seriously.
I have about 30 blogs I keep up with every day... most every day. And, if you didn't figure out from this post, one of them is the President's Report from the NAR.
So, this evening I was reviewing my reading and up popped this … (13 comments)
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honesty: 8.5 Lies about Real Estate - 03/13/08 05:15 PM
Truth, Justice & The American Way.
That's what real estate is all about. If you read the REALTOR Code of Ethics to which all REALTORS subscribe (and hopefully adhere), you'll find our mission right in the preamble:
"Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival … (64 comments)
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honesty: It pays to be HONEST. - 03/13/08 01:54 PM
I am in the process of picking up a new client. We have had several emails back and forth discussing my commission structure. He is planning to buy a new home and list his current one. He emailed me last night and asked me to send him all of the homes … (8 comments)
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honesty: The Real Estate Alchemist... Part II - 03/13/08 11:13 AM
Continuing the series...
In this episode, we are going to look at seller offered commission to the buyer's agent. At the Redfin Corporate Blog, there was a recent post titled Typical is Boring, but When Selling a Home, Effective.
In the post, they compared days on market and list price/selling price ratios … (4 comments)
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honesty: 12 Steps To Living Well-Step #2 Be Honest With Yourself - 03/11/08 05:44 PM
Here once again are my 12 Steps To Living Well. These 12 ideas will help you improve any area of your life that is causing you pain, it could be a relationship, your business, your weight, it doesn't matter what the problem is, these 12 ideas can help you, if you … (1 comments)
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honesty: I am very sad to say... - 03/10/08 04:54 PM
Not shocked... but sad.
Actually, I'm not shocked at all. And maybe sad isn't the right word... disgusted would be better...
And I really hope the right people find this post...
A few days ago, I posted a comment on the President's Report blog at the NAR. The NAR has found this whole … (105 comments)
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honesty: Title misfortunes and the art of persistance.... - 03/09/08 08:14 PM
Okay...so I take a listing after 3 other agents have given up or turned tail in despair... What do I know? I am new at this and to some extent, let's face it , ignorance is bliss...So this woman finds me at an open house... I list the house... and who … (3 comments)
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honesty: The credit crisis aka the Wheel of MisFortune - 03/09/08 12:54 PM
Has the real estate market been your wheel of misfortune? Have you been made promises after promises? Have you bought into the hype of what one company or person might promise you, but at the very end, it's not even close to what they promised?
Does a realtor promise you a … (11 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag VI... Why didn't my house sell? - 03/05/08 11:18 PM
I admit that this wasn't an email into my inbox. But, it is a question that I have received, investigated, and actually seek out.
Lane, we had our house on the market for ___ months. Why didn't it sell?
There is an easy answer, and a not very easy answer. First I'll … (6 comments)
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honesty: Standing on Principle - 03/05/08 06:32 PM
Just saw this tribute to Mike Huckabee's graceful concession and loved the final lines, which read:
Our country's founders were men of principle and conviction, unwavering to the point of belligerence. And they forged a strong nation. Perhaps we will one day again accept men and women of such character.
Perhaps one day … (5 comments)
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honesty: Honesty is creative? - 02/29/08 06:20 PM
I just read an article at Realtor.org about a guy that listed a fix up property. He said "There was no point trying to cover up anything, so I didn’t try." He decided to be "brutally honest" in his marketing basically because he saw no other options.
When asked what he learned … (0 comments)
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honesty: Timing is everything... maybe - 02/29/08 02:44 PM
We all know about the stock market crash of 1929. Bubble heads have tried to compare the run up in housing prices to the stock market crash for the last several years. Maybe they have a point... maybe not. This isn't about that. This is about what people DON'T know as … (2 comments)
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honesty: Why is the Ku Klux Klan like a bunch of Realtors? - 02/29/08 01:53 PM
OK, now that I've got your attention you should know that I am a Realtor as well as Principal Broker and Owner of King Realty Group in Fort Smith. However, my title is actually a chapter in the book called "Freakonomics" which is a book from the perspective of a … (2 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag V... We are selling, what should we do to our house? - 02/28/08 08:39 PM
Once again... off to the inbox to see what needs to be answered:
Lane, we want to sell our house in a few months. What would be the best way to increase the value and get it to sell faster?
Good questions, both.
First, what I always recommend is that your house be … (11 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag IV... Should we sell? - 02/28/08 07:55 PM
Cleaning out the old inbox, and getting these questions answered...
Lane, should we sell into this market?
Talk about a tough question... Here is the short answer.
No.
That said, if you have to sell, you have to sell. If you have to sell, remember that this isn't 2006. Don't expect 2006 prices. Yours may … (3 comments)
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honesty: Dear Mr. & Mrs. Unrealistic Buyer - 02/28/08 12:12 PM
{Back in the day, I wrote a post called Dear Mr. & Mrs. Unrealistic Seller. It was my first feature, and still sits as my busiest post with over 1500 views and around a 100 comments. Ever since October, I've wanted to write the balancing post...}
I just wanted to drop … (18 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag III... New home inducements - 02/28/08 11:18 AM
Back to the mailbox. These are the types of questions I am getting. Here is what I have to say:
We are thinking about buying a new construction home. In the Sunday Paper the builders seem to be giving away the world. What is the deal?
New home communities that have been around … (0 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag II... When should we start to look? - 02/28/08 10:49 AM
I decided to hit my inbox and see what sort of questions consumers may have...
Lane, we are thinking about buying a house in 6 or 8 months. When should we start looking?
A lot depends on the remainder of your situation. There are a few things we need to look at first:
How … (0 comments)
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honesty: Into the mailbag I... Buyer's price range - 02/28/08 10:31 AM
I decided to hit a few of the questions that I see regularly in my inbox...
Lane, we are looking for a house between $300,000 and $325,000. When you sent us listings, you sent them a little outside the range. I see houses here for $273,000 to $336,000. Why?
There are a few … (0 comments)
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honesty: Re-Listing Homes - Can You Handle the Truth? - 02/23/08 11:45 PM
The Practice of taking a home off the market and re-listing it to show 0 days on the market again is becoming more and more common. Debates are heating up on the subject from coast to coast.
Listing Agents argue they are doing their client a service. They also argue that … (18 comments)
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honesty: Hey Mortgage people... What do you think? - 02/23/08 09:32 PM
Did you see the post yesterday on Hot Topic?
Unintended consequences of regulating mortgage brokers
Unintended consequences seem to be one of the themes I keep coming back to.
Government, doing things that are designed to sound good for the news crews and the uninitiated, doesn't often accomplish the desired effect. The … (4 comments)
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honesty: I've heard voices... - 02/23/08 11:06 AM
And they were smart voices.
Wandering around in the Rain, there have been scores of bloggers pointing out that the federal government trying to "fix" the foreclosure crisis. Now, Inman News is saying the same thing. (the link will only be good until it goes behind the curtain)
Most families facing … (10 comments)
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honesty: The Not-So-Beautiful Side of the Home Warranty Market : Realtors Be Advised - 02/22/08 08:58 PM
A TARNISHED REPUTATION
A lot of you Realtors offer home warranties to your clients, and I am certain that you do so innocently. But do you know that the credibilty of the home warranty industry is tarnished in the eye of the public ?
DO A BACKGROUND CHECK
Have any of you ever Googled a home warranty company's name and the … (9 comments)
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honesty: Honesty is the Best Policy in Ann Arbor Real Estate - 02/21/08 06:27 PM
Several years ago, I met a professor in the Psychology Dept. at the University of Michigan. She had found me on the Internet and wanted me to preview her lake house to sell.
The house was a cute cottage on the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes. We walked around the cottage, … (61 comments)
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honesty: Licensing requirements may be damaging our business... - 02/21/08 10:11 AM
This isn't the first time I've written about this, but recently, after reading a post by Lenn Harley, called HOW TO SUCCEED IN REAL ESTATE, GET REINTERMEDIATED. It got me thinking.
As many of you may know, I am a car guy. So, I will use a car reference. As mentioned … (12 comments)
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honesty: The art of structure of what makes us stand out; Our mission and what we don't care for. - 02/16/08 08:00 PM
… (17 comments)
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honesty: Sellers only need 1 buyer - 02/16/08 04:39 PM
Advertising and marketing are generally done for the purpose of finding as many people as possible. We see it on TV and magazines, or hear it on the radio. Spam emails, and pop-up ads. They are all focused on one thing, getting as many people as possible to get the message.
… (4 comments)
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honesty: Desperation shouldn’t mean taking a loss if you don’t need to! - 02/16/08 10:48 AM
Recently I ran into someone who needed to sell their home quickly becausethey were moving for a job and needed to buy a home where they weregoing. I was amazed at what he was going to be willing to take on thisproperty, and told him so.
I was so shocked that … (19 comments)
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honesty: Do you show the home inspection to the appraiser? - 02/13/08 09:54 PM
Recently a few licensees in Juneau have taken exception to what they believe are unnecessary repairs called out by our Juneau home inspectors. Specifically, a CO detector in a home with no garage and no carbon based appliance and no parking near the doors was recently mentioned.
In an effort to reduce costs … (35 comments)
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honesty: Take One for the Team! - 02/08/08 06:56 PM
As diificult as it is to do, it is critical to tell people the truth when dealing with them in all manner of real estate right now. I understand that you don't want to hurt someone's feelings by telling them their house is worse much less now than it was 2 … (4 comments)
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honesty: Politics are a nasty business - 02/06/08 09:57 PM
It's political season once again, No that does not mean you can bag and tag one. They have not yet posted a limit on them but hunting politicians is not much of a sport.
I love politics, many people seem to shy away from the subject, but I revel in it like … (0 comments)
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honesty: They are not helping... - 01/30/08 04:16 PM
From the Wall Street Journal, via today's REALTOR(R) Magazine Daily News...
Daily Real Estate News | January 30, 2008Builder Sues for Return of CommissionsA builder of luxury condominiums in Florida has sued real estate practitioners, seeking to force them to return the 3 percent commissions paid to them for selling 24 condos on which … (12 comments)
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honesty: Why does the NAR do this? - 01/26/08 10:49 PM
I just couldn't help but look at these two items from the REALTOR(R) Magazine Daily Report. Do they read the stories?
Is it just me, or should one notice a connection between these articles.
If we see a decrease in demand for office space, do we not expect that commercial real estate … (5 comments)
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honesty: I bought a new car today... - 01/23/08 11:41 PM
Or well, it was a Christmas present from my parents...long story...younger sister is sooo spoiled that this was quite a nice gift, but she got acreage and money to build quite a nice new house...big...let me stop there, lest I get...well you can only imagine...
Anyway...I had to deal with a car … (21 comments)
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honesty: You can't judge a book by it's cover.... - 01/23/08 09:59 PM
About 3 years ago, it was Christmas eve. I couldn't go home for the Holidays, so my other friends that were stuck here in Florida b/c of work and I went out on the town. Everyone was dancing and having a great time as I was as as well ( having … (22 comments)
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honesty: UPDATE: Brokerage in Omaha not Paying Agents what they Advertise in the MLS - 01/18/08 07:18 PM
I had previously posted a blog titled Brokerage in Omaha not Paying Agents what they Advertise in the MLS. I received a call from my broker today informing me that the company that had this policy has decided to change their ways. They are now going to pay all co-operating agents … (0 comments)
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honesty: Let's link to seemingly unrelated stories - 01/18/08 01:07 PM
While glancing through today's REALTOR(R) Magazine Daily News Brief, there were two stories that jumped out at me. One was a call to action, and the other looked like the groundwork for a call to action later...
The first was: Withholding Mortgage Help Could Hurt Everybody. Among other things, it said:
The Center … (11 comments)
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honesty: Are you a seller with an expired listing? (poll) - 01/17/08 10:52 AM
Ok, I'm teasing a little.. The poll is on my website.
I am trying to look at expired listings and see what went wrong, from the perspective of the seller. I have struggled with whether I should post the link directly to the poll, but have decided that I should.
I … (0 comments)
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honesty: Above All Else, Serve The Client - 01/16/08 11:49 AM
A couple months ago, I was going through my files of people who had gotten a reverse mortgage in the past. I came across a lady, I'll call her Mrs. A. I noticed that she had gotten her reverse mortgage several years ago, when the lending limit in her area was … (4 comments)
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honesty: Don't you wish everything was so clear? - 01/14/08 11:58 PM
Deception comes in many forms. From what we tell others to what we are advised of. The things that separate those of us, that bend the truth on a regular basis for our own selfish interests and those of us that have very specific lines in the sand that we will … (3 comments)
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honesty: Housing Market Facts is BS to public when Former NAR President cannot sell his own home - 01/14/08 05:38 PM
The NAR has rolled out a new propaganda campaign telling people how its such a great time to buy a home and how property values double every ten years.
When is the Chicago real estate mob going to realize that the American public are tired of being lied to, even if its … (12 comments)
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honesty: Beware of the Trickery of the One Stop Shop - 12/28/07 10:56 PM
Since the beginning of the boom there have been many "one stop shops" to spring up across the nation. Not surprisingly many of these originated out of California, Florida and Texas where real estate investing was the largest. It is possible that this posting is moot with the sudden decrease in … (22 comments)
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honesty: I am who I am, and I will succeed because I know who I am. - 12/28/07 10:24 PM
Do you ever wonder who you really are? Have you ever thought about why you're here, why you participate in real estate???
Do you understand yourself? Your ID, your EGO, your personal personality??? Did you ever self evaluate? Did you ever think about yourself...
WOULD YOU BE YOUR OWN FRIEND? WOULD YOU LIKE … (15 comments)
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honesty: Say it until it's true!!!... NOT - 12/26/07 10:11 PM
While researching yesterday’s blog entry, I ran across this little tidbit. Frankly, it p***es me off. I am proud to be a member of the NAR. I think that there is a place for a strong voice both for real estate professionals, and to champion the issues for increasing home ownership … (48 comments)
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honesty: Housing apocolypse revisited - 12/25/07 09:37 PM
I ran across a post on Active Rain that pointed me to an outside article that talks about the need for at least a 20% reduction in home prices in order for families to be able to afford to buy. Well, I love it when there are specific claims and statistics. … (3 comments)
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honesty: Sometimes doing the right thing hurts - 12/21/07 01:12 PM
I started by explaining in Everybody put your heads down on your desk... how we got to this ugly spot in the road where we see the paths of:
Government intervention in loansorA rush of foreclosuresIn this installment, I'm going to outline the case for why it is the wrong thing for … (8 comments)
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honesty: Everybody put your heads down on your desk... - 12/20/07 02:41 PM
Do you remember those words from grade school? The big kid from the back of the class shot a spitball at the teacher, and so everyone got the same punishment. There were 29 kids in the class that didn’t do anything, but they still got the same treatment. What’s worse is … (0 comments)
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honesty: Let's blame the media... or not... - 12/17/07 07:32 PM
This is not inspired by Ken "not the meteorologist" Cook, but I did read his post a little earlier, Did The Media Cause This, Fuel This, or Just Report It? That said, I did mention this post in the comments there, because they are related... Great minds think alike... ours do … (8 comments)
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honesty: MLS? Zillow? Trulia? - 12/13/07 12:46 PM
I ran across a blog post by Jay Thompson regarding a story in the Wall Street Journal about on-line home searches. He noted that in his area the WSJ had it wrong. He researched the numbers for the local MLS, Trulia and Zillow. His findings were that Zillow only showed about … (4 comments)
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