As I have always said the burden of being a great realtor is "thinking" for all parties in the contract...

I approach each transaction as if I am the only representative in the deal... that strategy will get you and your customer(s) to a happy and stress free closing.   Now don't get me wrong, I don't represent all parties.   And on occasion, I relax knowing that I have an experienced agent on the other side of the transaction.   Overall I attribute my success and my customer's happiness to asking a lot of questions and thinking for all parties...

Yes, I do mean the other agent, the title company, and the mortgage company and then ultimately the buyer and the seller.  Transactions always have problems and I see, so often, timid agents not talking about the elephant in the room... maybe it will go away?   And occasionally, it does.  But more often, it doesn't.   Now, we have increased our challenges with short sales... 1^st and foremost; Banks! Oh my god. If I had "3" wishes it would be to write a book on common sense, require bank management to read it (then just sit back and collect the royalties...I would be worth millions)  and then it would be explaining to buyers and sellers the benefits of executing a short sale.   I would talk about owners removing fixtures; refrigerators, washers, dryers, lights ceiling fans, light  switches, outdoor lighting... yes, I said light switches... then occupancy... broom swept clean the day of closing...

So here are a few suggestions... listing agents... ask the seller if they intend on taking anything in the house with them when you get their short sale approved.   It wouldn't hurt to remind them, a short sale is a privilege not an entitlement... We all know the list of benefits for completing a short sale vs. a foreclosure?  If they want to take stuff... no big deal... Disclose it... Remove it... it's that simple.   As far as moving out... before they accept the offer ... Show them on a calendar!  You will need to be out this day... does that work? If everything goes well, no need to bring it up again...  But if your short sales are like mine... you will need to go over it again once the short sale is approved... easy enough right? Broom swept clean the day of closing...   or the alternative, you can help them load the truck and stress over it... My suggestion; helping them with the planning is always easier than breaking Rule # 33, which is: "don't volunteer to move, pack or paint..."

For buyer agents, explain to the buyer that at the end of this painful short sale process the seller walks away with no cash, "Zero" Nada!... and the emotional baggage of having lost their home...   maybe a little compassion is needed...  and agents save the "Greed is Good" (Gordon Gekko) attitude for your next commercial sale.  It's ok if "trash" is left at the curb on Tuesday and pickup is Thursday... I understand your frustration you didn't  ask enough questions of the listing agent... are "these" ceiling fans remaining with the house after closing... is the LG Steam Dryer Staying?...is the 200 year old Swarovski Crystal Chandelier staying?... then most importantly write it on the contract to be clear to all parties...

We have all gotten to the end of the transaction...frustrated and at wits end... Don't let that happen to you... remember happy and stress free Transactions make Residential Real Estate the "Best" Business in the World...

Well it's that time of the year...Dues are Due... and you either wrote a check or put them on your credit card in order to maintain your status as an active Realtor... Whenever I pay $425 for anything I like to look for a direct benefit to increasing my business... Membership should have its privileges.  In this case, I consider this expense a static investment.   I am not downplaying the role of FAR, NAR, or ORRA... your membership plays an invaluable role to provide real estate practitioners the resources, education, tools, and guidance to make your individual business model a success.  I get that... I hope you do... But, 90 % of your Success in Real Estate Business revolves around your Active Investments...  Simply put, "Time or Money" which will actively promotes consideration to buy, sell, rent, and auction real property...

Anyway, why not write another $425 check or extend you credit line a bit more to drum up some business...

Cheap stuff... Flyers!  We have beautiful weather... walk neighborhoods where you have a listing... $.15 each flyer...plus gas... $25-$50  total investment...  planting seeds for the future... how about an apartment mailer... $.40 all in... you can mail 1000 postcards... 250 for 4 weeks or 1000 straight away... If you worked at Real Living... you get 250 free from Quantum mail... and with the push of a button get them mailed... delivered on your schedule...No printing, No stamping and No lines at the post office...

What if you go to the local grocery...on a Friday...do a collection for a nonprofit or a bake sale for your church and then simply pass out business cards.  Community supporter meets neighborhood expert...  Or look around for other marketing opportunities, internet prospecting, Newsletters or Calendars... So many ways to get in front of prospects...

Or you can hang around the water cooler, remembering the good old days sharing "Oh Yea" stories with fellow knuckle draggers...

I know this market is tough but just like a turtle stuck in the middle of the road; you only have 3 choices.  1^st, stay tucked in your shell until someone runs you over... or 2^nd you can keep moving to get to the other side...

And, more often, the turtle keeps moving.... He knows it's harder to hit a moving target...

I know what some of you are thinking... what was the turtle's 3^rd option? 

It's simple...He can stay put, praying someone will pick him up and brings him to safety... So, for all you folks...?

I just did.

I know you have all been waiting for me to declare.... Now that Colin Powell made his decision, I guess I should be next... General Powell decided to cast his vote for Barrack Obama.  He went on Meet the Press to discuss the methods he used to arrive at determining the best candidate for president of the United States.  So I, like General Powell, have utilized thoughtful consideration to arrived at my decision...

My research goes back to the beginning of the 20^th century looking to account for the most significant advancements of our American freedom... One of the most significant event happened in 1903 and of course, I am referring to developments and distribution of Crayola Crayons.   Prior to 1903, a regular US citizen could only dream in Black and White.... The original "8" colors hit the USA with a fever pitch and the price was right... just a nickel.  In fact, all was right with the world...Teddy Roosevelt, a Harvard Grad was the 1^st president to suggest we move the country toward Universal Health Care (sound familiar) except he was a Republican... and Our government ‘s power was restricted by the Gold Standard (most problems could not be solved by firing up the printing press)...  It was a time when our President was revered as he became the first American to win a Nobel Peace Prize... and did I mention...no enforceable income tax laws (The 16^th amendment was still 10 years away)... but still most significant was the fact that our Forefather's helped nail the creation of the first "8" colors... Americans were happy with the original selection of "8" for 41 years.

 In 1949, Americans needed to be reassured of the American Dream....Harry Truman, obviously having incredible influence on one Pennsylvania business lobbied to have the "8" pack of Crayolas expanded to "48"...  the largest single movement in history... growing the color spectrum exponentially...  one color for every state (Yes, Sarah Palin would have been considered Governor of a different country...)

Life would never be the same... Americans always wanting more... and Government giving people what they asked for in exchange for their votes... Democrats have constantly promoted the expansion of the Crayola Box feeding the never ending American Habit of wanting more...  You may not be aware that Bill Clinton was the last President to get a 24 color increase... (current  120 color box)  However, you are all too familiar that Democrats continue to focus on expanding the size of the Box, while Republicans are focused on allowing you fill the Box yourself... neither is focused on how fragile the box has become...

So, in my own way... I have decided this race is about color (I have your interest now)...  It's about my favorite color...Green... Therefore, I have decided to Vote for the Candidate that will give me the most Green for my vote...  So Far, Barack Obama has promised to give 95 % of taxpayers $500 for their vote (40% of those folks don't pay taxes).... He calls it lowering taxes... I call it the "new age" of quid pro quo... So, here is my proposal to Barack Obama... I will vote for you if you give me $60,000 of the $150 million raised in September by your campaign and you pledge to work hard with Hallmark for a 10% reduction in colors...allowing for the fact that some critical colors will not be touched... I think that would be a fair offer...

And, FYI, the $60,000 is not arbitrary... It happens to be my portion of the $10 trillion dollar national debt...  you know the debt... that ugly monster that chews up 16% of the federal budget... the Elephant in the room that has swollen to 72% of the GDP... Oh Yea..., that Debt!  We don't hear much about that.... but Day in and Day out, both McCain and Obama are ignoring the present day realities as they each promise to make everyone's crayon box bigger and better...$500 here, $5000 there...   All on the backs of other people...  Look around my fellow sheep,  those other people are you and your children...

So starting today and over the next two weeks, I hope you make the right choice... Lately, you have been inundated with 1929 talk, endless Wall Street Crash Stories trying to play on your fears... I am not sure of many  things but I am 100% sure, we are never going back to a Box of "8"... but it never ceases to amaze me what excuses politician use to promote false promises and somehow "promises" always get the better of reality...

You have 14 more days... it's up to you to make your own deal...

My offer stands until midnight on November 3^rd.... $60,000 is a drop in the bucket...  Let's just call it redistribution...

Ps. you will never know if I received the $60k... it will be between me and the ballot box...

A few people have asked... why I haven't been blogging. My answer sounded like I was Forrest Gump... "I have nothing to say... and that's all I have to say about that..." For me "Blogging is just "one" medium to influence and motivate the people around me..."   also Blogging helps new recruits to get a picture inside our company beyond a regular interview... it's not about me...It's just another tool in the tool belt... Agents appear to be running into the blogosphere as an alternative to water cooler chats in today's abandoned office... It's always easy to avoid the difficult activities required to make gains in this sagging real estate market.

Now don't get me wrong, some of you have specific blogging goals, measurable goal, community goals, office goals, that when reached; will turn dollars into sense... and others, the pioneers,  conquering short sales, managing REO's and foreclosures, recruiting successful agents, are all attempting to educate the rest of us with the potential and the pitfalls in our changing market...

But ultimately, finding buyer and sellers is what I am all about, either by motivating Great Agents or Closing Transactions.

So, my question to you is this... Are You Keeping Your Eyes On The Prize?  I hope your "DAILY" blog posting is not specifically designed to grab a piece of the daily top 10 ... Don't get me wrong, the world needs great headlines but what about looking around your office.... Which agents are still doing business? Look to those agents still doing "Day to Day Combat" and ask them about their success...

If you don't have anyone doing business at your office and everyone is moping around with their knuckles dragging on the floor... maybe it's time to find a new office?  If all you are getting at the water cooler is water... Maybe you should find a new office?  What is holding you back? Now more than ever, the future is bright and you everything to gain!!! Remember, the most gain is always measured from the bottom of the market...That's when you make the largest profits... Heck... Now is the time to Join Real Living!   (Sorry for the shameless plug)

What about the rut?  Don't realtors do the same thing day in and day out...? Hell No!  6 months ago, I thought a short sale was any sale under $200,000... Now $200,000 could be my bread and butter for the next few years... I guess I could learn something new every day?  So why don't I? Well it's simple; I don't have the time... I have listings and sales plus buyers and sellers... fire and water...combined with 10 to 12 hours... and the day is gone.

I need to remember the value that I bring to the transaction...to the customers...to the families...to the community.... It's the perspective!  It's the wisdom!  The patience!  The passion and the drive to accomplish the mission...  So, I need to learn something new every day... I crave the oxygen from new growth, the energy from the sunrise, and the power of new ideas... It's why I need to learn something new every day.  Today, I am 47, and I thought I knew it all when I was 27; thank God I was wrong...   I've only been a realtor for 7 years, I've completed 300 transactions but I need to learn something new every day; Don't you?

Remember, the best part or learning is passing it on...

Tuesdays with Tony

I grew up in a time of great role models, family dinner at 5pm and TV shows with happy endings.  Why do you think you were so sad watching Old Yella...? That's right we were accustomed to happy endings...  Today, TV is totally different, last night one episode:

5 murders'

Boyfriend in prison,

Pregnant girlfriend just had the prisoner's baby,

 She vows not to let the prisoner to see his son,

And, get this, the happy ending was $50,000 in blood money, hidden from the IRS, was going to find its way to the criminal's newborn... HUH?  What happened to Mayberry and Sheriff Andy Taylor? 

Until I was 13, I wanted to be a crime fighter, rounding up bad guys and helping grandmothers cross the street.  I even had my folks bring me to the state police academy so that I could see my heroes, first hand.  I remember my brother Phil, wanted to be teacher, certainly not for the money.   My friends wanted to be doctors and lawyers not because of all the cool stuff they could buy...but because they felt like they would be helping people.  Could you imagine being on the playground with your friends and telling them you wanted to be a "Real Estate Agent" when you grew up... Oh my god that would surely have gotten me the "Wedgie" of a lifetime...

So what happened to our dreams?   In most cases, I would guess economics happens... Money becomes the measurement of your success, or the limiting factor of your dreams.  We (society) spend way too much time thinking about money.   Lately, I have been hearing a lot of whining about the real estate business, primarily about money, so I thought it would be best if we refocused on the other reasons we do this job.  I challenged my agents to re-focus, find a good book, buy a new literary treasure, or re-read and old classic, just to remind them of why we do, what we do... You know the helping people part. 

Everyone in our office agreed and off they went to re-discover the greatness of our business.  They chose books from the Bible to the Seven Habits, stories about King Solomon and Jesus... One of my agents read the Bible, and pointed out the most secular part of the bible... whether you're a believer or not...  Jesus made a difference... No matter what faith, you have to acknowledge greatness, when the simple measurement of "your time" becomes so significant that it is actually recorded in BC and AD... The lesson of the day is "Time".  Spending time to make a significant difference in the lives of other people should be our focus and the economics will take care of itself. Think of how fortunate we are to help people at significant points in their life.  The purchase of their first home, the expansion of their family, the creating of wealth and even the relief brought about by lifting the burden of settling an estate...

So,  the next time you are trying to figure out why you became a real estate agent remember we can't all be crime fighters but every one of us can help a Grandmother cross the street...

Tuesdays with Tony

Can you imagine just a few short months ago that banks were asking congress for permission to get into the real estate business...?  Based on how well they are currently managing their own business, I have to thank God; once in a while our representatives get things right.   And, what do you think about the 2008 version of a short sale?  What genius at the bank thought this one up?  Let's come up with a plan that sells for less than a foreclosure and takes 2 months to approve... whose idea was it to create a whole new market value lower than foreclosures while simultaneously reducing the overall value of the market place in the process.   

Don't get me wrong, I know some great folks who need to sell short... I feel very bad for their financial situation.   Some banks are finally trying to give customers, who want to keep their home, a substantial workout plan.  This is a very complicated problem and I do tend to oversimplify but what if the National Association of Realtors required all sellers, who are unable to satisfy their lien holders to confirm the asking price with their primary lenders before placing their home on the market.  What a novel thought, an asking price that someone could actually pay to complete a transaction...  In essence, it would force the bank to make a judgment on the property prior to marketing the home and adversely affecting neighborhood sales.   Will someone tell me the downside to this? I mean that rhetorically... there is no downside, get it...No Downside!

So follow this... a customer can't make the payments:

 They call the bank,

The bank does an appraisal,

 Collects the supporting documentation,

Approves an asking price,

Customer calls a realtor to put the house on the market (with agreed compensation),

 An offer comes in,

Approval by the seller,

Presented to the bank for final approval and it goes to closing...

Instead, our current system:

Realtor prices the home based on market value but low enough to get an offer ASAP...Which is it?

Generate an offer even lower than the unconfirmed sale price,

Bundle the paperwork,

 Send it to a lender several times to get one person to look at the paperwork for the 1^st time,

 Talk to at least 7 different people not familiar with the situation,

Lender orders the BPO or maybe an appraisal,

 Off to the loss mitigator to establish the workout with the customer,

Finally establish the sale price...  

And repeat steps 6, 7 and 8 every time you get an offer... and I forgot, fight for your commission...

To borrow a line from Steven Covey, they clearly didn't begin with the end in mind.   Am I the only one that sees the follie in all of this?

Firm asking price? Novel Idea... all offers considered?  NO! Of course...  Would you rather make potential owners purchasing their primary residence wait 8 weeks to get a decision on whether their offer will be accepted?  The part I like best is the opening that the banks have created to let the professional short sale buyers to come in and buy at 65 cents on the dollar or less.  Some are even on the fast track.   Have I convinced you yet?  Does anyone begin to see the flaw with this marketing strategy... no one is without blame. Congress, the NAR, Local Realtor Boards, and me... I did choose this line of work...

 One final question...  should we be advertising prices that require a 3^rd party approval, think about that...when was that ever a good idea?... Isn't that a violation of at least a few codes...?  I understand final price and terms but not the asking prices... Let's get real. Where have all the smart people gone?

My father used to say... Anthony," Don't ever trust a Bank because they are first to loan you an umbrella and the first one to ask for it back on a rainy day..." Common sense...Thanks Dad.

Tuesdays with Tony

If you can find a "Vocation"  that is fun and rewarding, then "work" becomes an oxymoron...

Living in Florida for the past 10 years, we enjoyed the real estate market almost always trending upward.  I would describe our career as mostly fun and rewarding.  Over the past 18 months, we have witnessed the contraction of the real estate market, it's still fun but would you call it rewarding?

What is the difference between "Work" and "Vocation"...  to borrow a brief definition of both, work is the focus on completion of tasks and a vocation is work demanding of a special commitment...

Clear as Mud?

To simplify... it's about redefining your work in what makes it rewarding to be a real estate agent... and I don't mean money... here are a few thought starters:

...freedom

...creativity

...community

...purpose

...hope...

We enjoy a great life as real estate agents, I challenge you to pick up your favorite book or buy a new selection that will help you work toward enhancing your definition of reward... whether it's the Bible, or the 7 Habits; either way, if you're working strictly for the money then you are a long way from a vocation...

Tuesdays with Tony

If you can find a "Vocation"  that is fun and rewarding, then "work" becomes an oxymoron...

Living in Florida for the past 10 years, we enjoyed the real estate market almost always trending upward.  I would describe our career as mostly fun and rewarding.  Over the past 18 months, we have witnessed the contraction of the real estate market, it's still fun but would you call it rewarding?

What is the difference between "Work" and "Vocation"...  to borrow a brief definition of both, work is the focus on completion of tasks and a vocation is work demanding of a special commitment...

Clear as Mud?

To simplify... it's about redefining your work in what makes it rewarding to be a real estate agent... and I don't mean money... here are a few thought starters:

...freedom

...creativity

...community

...purpose

...hope...

We enjoy a great life as real estate agents, I challenge you to pick up your favorite book or buy a new selection that will help you work toward enhancing your definition of reward... whether it's the Bible, or the 7 Habits; either way, if you're working strictly for the money then you are a long way from a vocation...

Tuesdays with Tony

Why does the prospect of qualifying a buyer sound so uncomfortable?  Over the past 5 years, our involvement with regards to qualifying has been discouraged by lenders because they had programs that were so diverse that only a mortgage professional should get involved... So looking back...that didn't turn out so well? At least not so well for the 2 million folks marching toward foreclosure... As more money flowed into the secondary mortgage market, it wasn't about qualifying at all... It was about getting the deal done...  Everyone is partially to blame, the buyer's, the seller's, the agents, and the mortgage brokers.   I am generally very optimistic, and I can't speak for anyone else, but this was my first trip to the woodshed and the result took me by surprise. 

Knowing what I know now, I need to discuss with my customers how they plan on paying for their new home.   The 29% and 43% is a good start followed by credit scores and what is the definition of provable income... Extenuating circumstance needs to become the exception not the rule, and understanding the customer finances isn't just the mortgage broker's job. So now as the pendulum swings back to the right, it's not enough for your customer to say they can afford it... you actually have to prove it... The overall problem is that good times perpetuate bad habits... Letting someone else qualify your customer is one of them. 

 I'm reminded of a story my mother and father-in-law tell: 50 years ago, a real estate agent helped them buy a 3 family home because he showed them how they could afford the home based on my father-in- laws income... to this day, they remember the real estate agents name but neither could tell you the name of the banker?  If you're in it for the long run, nothing is more important than being remembered...especially when you make a difference!

Tuesdays with Tony