Tisza's Blog

A Year Late and $60,000 Short... Or How To Try To Close A Short Sale in Only 548 Days!

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:15:59 -0700

Hi All,

Friday should have been a great day. It really should have been. Not just for me but for my client and also for another agent and their client's as well. But it wasn't and here's why. I took a listing for a condo in Ontario, CA in February 2008. It was, is, and remains a Short Sale. And it is getting "shorter" by the minute.

A brief recap for those who don't remember my speaking about this transaction before. (And really, why would you since I started babbling about it when Barack Obama was still just a Senator from Chicago and the Octomom only had six kids.) I listed this home in February 2008, got our first offer in March, '08, the lender got an appraisal that wasn't worth the ink it was printed with let alone the paper it was written on which killed that deal. Then, we got another offer in April '08 which was scuttled by the lender taking 6 months to respond (after bringing the old appraisal up again and making me pay for a new BPO, which I of course did despite the fact that it turned out they had done a BPO of their own but didn't remember it) so we lost 'um.

We next received an offer which really was low at the time (but higher than the current value is now by some $40K) so they didn't respond... We then received another offer identical to the second offer which we again... wait for it... wait for it... Lost because the lender again took to long to respond. Bringing us up to date... err or rather to March '09 when we received our most recent offer.

We should have been good to go here... astonishingly it was the highest valued offer to date and the buyer's said they were in it for the long haul... A slam dunk, right? Well, the lender again took their own sweet time to respond and the value has continued to descend (shocking, I know), in fact it has deflated to the point that when the bank got yet another BPO done it came in at $147,500. And the buyer's appraisal came in at that pricepoint as well.

So, I dutifully submitted the revised HUD 1 and we were off to the races yet again. That was back in May and today we FINALLY got approval for the sale. But, here's the kicker, the approval is for the offer submitted on behalf of a different and long gone buyer ONE YEAR AGO! (And we wonder why we are in the financial mess we are in... but as usual, I digress)

I am pretty much at my wits end and would consider pulling my hair out strand by strand, but I have a whole lot of hair and I don't have that much time so... I got on the phone and called the negotiator to let her know about the little "problem" we were now facing, namely that the payoff amount (which was accurate way back when) was $40,000 over the current market value and it was based upon the WRONG DANGED HUD1!

I know they are busy, I know their desks are piled higher than straw in the story Rumplestiltskin, and I know that they have to serve many masters, but I really don't think it is asking too much to read something like the date on the top of a document now and then. My negotiator couldn't have been nicer (helpfully unhelpful is how I have always described them :-) and she said she was training new people and thought they might be getting the files messed up... Um... Ya think? Geez, I even spoke... personally spoke, to one of her assistants before the offending document was issued and we went over the details of the deal to make sure they had all that they needed. Lot of good that did, I should have just talked to my cat about the deal, it would have been about as useful and a whole lot more fulfilling.

I shall keep you posted as to the outcome here. I tend to believe that Realtor is a synonym for optimist and that is what I am to the core so I still have faith, hope and and undying need to believe that it will all work out in the end. The entire kit and caboodle has been tossed back into the hopper and we are awaiting the result. This should be interesting to say the least...

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

With Friends Like These... Or Why You Sometimes Help The Most, Those You Help The Least

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:41:24 -0700

Hi All,

When we first start out in Real Estate, or pretty much any other "sales" type of endeavor for that matter, one of the places we are all told to go forth and mine for business is our "sphere of influence". That loosely translates to your friends, co-workers, family and basically any other poor slob who happens to have had the misfortune of having given you an email address or phone number in the last 10 years. And, most of us do just that, we gleefully set off with our shiny new license (or in my case my folded, spindled and mutilated one courtesy of the U.S. Post Office :-) safely ensconced in our broker;s drawer and we bombarded these folks with email, snail mail and any other contact form we can drum up to "let them know we're in the Real Estate business".

And, while I am fully in support of telling everyone and their pet dog that you are henceforth a bonafide Realtor and are thus ready, willing and able to handle all of their needs both great and small, I also am of the opinion that the very place we are told to plant our garden may be the worst place to hope to be able to harvest the fruit.

Case in point...One of my best friends in all the world is currently in the market to purchase investment properties. She and her hubby have been looking into SFR's, duplexes and triplexes all over the area with some degree of success. I hasten to point out that I still refer to her as one of my best friends and not a client of mine. Why? Because we decided that our relationship with each other was too important to allow the possibility of a business deal interfering with it.

The funny thing is that while she and I are fine with this decision, there are some others around us who appear to be in high dudgeon about it. They have been spitting mad on my behalf, and have said so, about the fact that she and I aren't working together. While I greatly appreciate their loyalty and concern I don't share their ire and here's why...

She knows that she is a very demanding client, a self described "pain in the neck" and I know she is a very demanding client (I would probably say it was a pain a little lower and more to the back :-) and we know that this could be a receipe for disaster. Oh, we've tried to work together in other areas at other times in our lives, but we know where each others "buttons" are and it has been challenging. We've been best friends since we were 13, we are really more family than anything else as a result, while we love each other unconditionally, we don't always bring out the best in each other.

And this is not the only situation that I have encountered where a good personal relationship has not necessarily translated into a good business one. In my other past business ventures I have tried to work with friends and family only to see what started out as a good thing for all concerned disintegrate into something professionally unfulfilling and personally damaging. Friends are friends, family is family and no matter how smart, educated or capable the rest of the world may see you to be, to those in your innermost circle, your value is diminished. And woe be unto you if you happen to tell them about a pitfall in their path, they ignore you and they fall flat on their face.

As I see it, I am bound by a variation of the Hypocratic Oath, the part where it says "First do no harm". I can't sit by and quietly watch while someone puts themselves in harms way, especially if I see the harm and they can't or don't. I wouldn't do it with a client who walked in off of the street any more than I would if I had known them forever.

But the difference seems to be that the client off the street wouldn't necessarily push me the same way that those who are personally closer to me might. And, the folks that meet me in a professional capacity first, tend to be able to see me through their "professional lenses" and as a result, judge the value of my opinion based upon different criteria. Probably because they don't look at me and see their 13 year old cohort or their goofy aunt who gives Barbies to grown women because she didn't know them when they were kids and she wants to make up for lost time.

So, while others may have had great success working with folks who were friends first and with family as well, I for one am grateful and really, truth be told, much more honored to find out that my relationships with the people in my life matter as much to them as they do to me. So much so that none of us would want something as cosmically unimportant as money to ever come between us.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Its The First Time EVERY Time In A Real Estate Transaction... But Should It Be?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:24:28 -0700

Hi All,

I closed another transaction yesterday and I awoke this morning with that Scarlett O'Hara morning after glow about me. After a languid stretch and a considerable amount of humming to myself I sauntered into my living room only to find that my cellphone had already been far busier this A.M. than I had.

Upon checking my voice mail I heard the harried voice of my Escrow officer admonishing me to check my email urgently as there was a document that she claimed my client had neglected to sign and without it they were not going to disperse my funds. I hasten to point out here once again that the transaction was recorded yesterday so we are closed, finito, a done deal, that's all she wrote and ba-de-ba-de-ba-de "That's All Folks". Or it should be.

Popping up with a 13th hour document never before presented to my client or me which is not a lender requirement, escrow instruction, CAR form, or otherwise discussed, let alone negotiated item (and which says right there on the face in big, bold black ink that it is not to be presented prior to the close of escrow so it appears to be designed to be a "surprise"), amounts to strong-arming my client into signing away their rights after the fact, (something they don't want to do), while holding my paycheck over my head in order to use me as the muscle, (which is something I am not willing to do) is not just dirty pool, it is something akin to an attempted contractual rape. But as usual, I digress...

As is the case with every transaction I have had the pleasure to participate in actively, observe passively, or read about objectively, I am reminded time and time again that in a real estate transaction despite every appearance to the contrary, each time is "The First Time" for all the players and after the deed is done, memories are erased and virginity is mystically restored.

Alas, there seems to be an inability for all concerned to peruse any sort of real estate Kama Sutra in order to ensure that we all wind up satisfied and happy and that no one ends up getting an elbow in the eye. Must we all really behave each and every time we are confronted with the opportunity to shepherd a client from contract to close as though this is the very first time we've ever "done it"?

Yes, I am aware that each client is different, and yes, I like to spice things up now and then too, but in real estate, much like other pursuits in life, there comes a point where you realize that there are only so many Slot "A's" your Tab "B" can go into before you begin to repeat yourself and things become at least vaguely familiar, somewhat smoother and a whole lot less painful. Or they should.

We all know what the minimum necessary elements for the successful consummation of a deal are. And some of us (escrow officers, title companies, lender's, etc.) have been involved hundred's, if not thousands of transactions which you would expect would render them "pros". And yet, each and every time we get into bed with each other we flail and fumble like Victorian maidens on our wedding night.

It is not too much to ask that when we are working, instead of behaving like blushing brides we comport ourselves instead like old lovers. Taking pleasure in the familiarity of the act, seeking comfort in its sameness and enjoying the surprises, but always making sure that our partners are able to be confident that we have been down this path before, will get them there safely and will do our level best to keep elbows from meeting eyelids.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

It's Crunch Time... Agents - Get In The Game or Get off The Field!

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 02:44:26 -0800

Hi All,

I am currently sitting in my living room spitting nails and stewing in my own juices. Why you may ask? Well, I'll tell you... I have been working a short sale listing for almost 1 year (yes, you read that right... almost 1 year). I have shown the lender's enough facts and figures to choke a whole herd of elephants... I have begged, pleaded, cajoled, promised, wheedled and even threatened them to try to keep reality in the picture and this deal alive to help my client. I was even on the phone (though I was barely able to speak because of laryngitis) starting at 3 AM on Christmas eve and calling every 10 minutes until I fortunately reached my negotiator to try to postpone the foreclosure and auction of my client's property scheduled to occur at 9 AM on December 26! But today, today capped everything!

Now before I fully launch into my tirade, I want it to be known that the focus of my consternation today is not the lender's (I'll save them for another day very soon when I can do it justice.). No, unfortunately, today the focus of my wrath are the members of my very own profession. My fellow licensees. Not all of my compatriots, merely those Jack's (and Jill's)-Of-All-Trades who truly are masters of none.

Those less than even part-time dilettantes who have a license but no knowledge, training or skill to back it up. Those folks who not only don't truly understand how to write a contract they barely understand how to read one (And who, in most cases have never and I mean NEVER read so much as the full first page of the RPA let alone the full contract.).

I am sick and tired of having my client's victimized by their lack of learning. I am also getting pretty darn tired of having to teach folks who have been licensed since before Mary and Joe mortgaged the manger how to do their job.

I have come to the decision that while there are a talented few who truly can juggle the demands of all of the continuing education necessary to keep up with this ever-changing field of endeavor whilst maintaining additional jobs that run the gamut from the mundane to the mind-blowing, they truly are the exception, not the rule.

Take for example the folks who are Mortgage Broker's first and also represent buying or in some cases listing clients as Real Estate Agents. While they may indeed be legally qualified to serve both masters, I would venture to say that in most cases "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". They may very well be God's Gift to mortgages but with the volatile nature of that industry just keeping up with the Dow's and the Jones' is a feat all unto itself. To really do it justice, they need to practically eat, sleep and breath lending. So, in order to service their present client's, stay current on the ever-changing market's in's and out's and prospect for new business they sure as heck don't have time to learn much about mine.

When the market was ascending at the break-neck pace of days past, this was still a concern, but in most cases the damage they could inflict was much more limited in scope. Predominately afflicting the folks whose interest they were ostensibly representing. Their lack of skill coupled with their lack of comprehensive training in the potential minefield that real estate sales and purchases can present would in most cases potentially harm their client's a whole lot more than mine.

Not knowing the contracts like the proverbial back of their hand, not being cognizant of the time-lines inherent in a successful transaction and not having ever bothered to clap eyes on any part of the contract beyond where their client's were being asked to sign could mean their folks at best missed something minor and at worst got royally shafted by folks who do know how the game is played and play to win.

But times have changed and the stakes that once were simply high are now stratospheric. Their lack of skill, once merely a irritation to my client has now become a potentially fatal blow and I for one am sick of it. I'll be the first one to concede that this ain't brain surgery here folks (and it's a darn good thing too because if it were their survival rate would be abysmal) but that doesn't mean that the repercussions are harmless. With a flick of their pen and a toss of their hair they can wound their client and practically kill mine.

And what makes me angry to the point sputtering and tears is that their bumbling about in an area in which their choice to fore-go pursuing and acquiring the knowledge, training and skill I know first hand to be critical in the performance of my job means that in some cases what they break, I can't fix.

Now I know times are hard and folks who were once riding high are now scrambling just to stay afloat. But spreading yourself too thin and fragging your focus does no one any good. And if you really want to dominate your field and give yourself and your clients the very best chance of success its time to take your cue from the folks who are tops in theirs. Yo Yo Ma isn't taking time away from rehearsal to work at Guitar Center. Peyton Manning doesn't try to throw the ball to himself and Barry Bonds wasn't stepping off the plate during the game to selling peanuts in the stands for a couple extra bucks. These folks are all wholly dedicated to the single minded pursuit and mastery of one area of one field, and I am quite sure that they would agree that a major reason for their continued success is that laser-like focus.

They are all totally in their game, every minute of every day and we who choose to be members of the real estate profession should be as well.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Hi!... I'm Back!... Did You Miss Me?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:08:57 -0800

Hi All,

In case you didn't notice, its been rather quiet here on the Claremont front and I am quite certain that some folks thought I dropped off the face of the earth. I am equally certain that there are a few folks out there who hoped that was the case... To the first group I say "I didn't" and to the second group I say "I'm sorry" :-)

So here's what's been going on part of the time and some of what has kept me quiet... It all started way back in October when the C.A.R. (California Association of Realtor's) convention came to town. I headed off to the first event of the convention - Tech Tuesday to continue stuffing my head with tantalizing technical tidbits.

(A side note here, this was a very well organized event but I have to tell you that I probably won't attend Tech Tuesday again. Predominatly because while it gave a great beginner's overview of what is going on in the world of RE tech, I didn't find any classes that were geared toward taking a tech savvy agent to the next level. I took one class on photography which was touted as a session on how to get the most out of your Flip Video camera only to find that although the instructor was very knowlegable about photography in general and definately had a good grasp of lighting, he didn't know the first thing about the Flip camera. I actually wound up answering almost all of the Flip questions and I am by no means an expert. Incidentally, this wasn't the photographer's fault, he had the Flip thing sprung on him at the last possible minute and freely admited that it was not his mileu.)

After the training classes ended the cocktail reception and opening of the showroom began. As we all know, I am a confirmed swag scavenger and view a convention showroom with a level of lust and avarice other women reserve for George Clooney, Brad Pitt or Chocolate. In short, I couldn't wait to hit the floor and hit it I did!

After gathering all the goodies my little bag could hold the first raffle of the event was slated to take place. I dropped my business card into the mix and urged my friend Diana to do the same. Unfortunately, she was bang out of cards and insisting that it didn't matter to her but it sure did to me so I made one for her and then we waited anxiously to see who would win the prizes. They were giving away 6 Flip Video cameras (ironic, huh?) and I really wanted Diana to win one. Having won my own at Inman Connect in San Francisco (Thank you again Zipvo), I had told her that should I win another (yeah, like THAT would happen, right?) I would give it to her.

Well, they started pulling cards and wouldn't you know it out came my card and one other but with a flick of the finger my card sank back to the depths and low and behold the one I made for Diana rose to the top! How cool was that? I was thrilled for her!

The next day I again attended the convention and my lucky streak continued. I entered the drawing for the Toshiba Laptop and was shocked to hear my name called as one of the lucky winners. I hear tell that my patented "happy dance" was quite something to behold (btw, if anyone has any pics or video from either days events I would love to get a gander at it). Now, however I had a problem. I had told everyone who would listen that I wanted to win the Laptop not for me but for my wonderful hubby Mel who really wanted a Laptop of his very own. Now I had won the thing for him, was bursting to tell him, and was threatend under mock pain of death to not tell Mel about my good fortune and to hang on to the thing until December (his birthday is 9 days before Christmas).

Where's the problem you ask? Well, I'll tell ya... My Mel subscibes to my blogs and I realized as I came down off of my raffle induced high that I not only couldn't tell him what had happened, I couldn't write anything anywhere for fear that someone would inadvertantly tip him off in a well intentioned comment so silence ensued.

Then, to further enforce my silence, the following day I was extremely fortunate to win a Wii (Which I gave to Diana since she had told me that she really wanted one and I only entered the raffle to try to win it for her... really!) and to round off the day nicely I won a 32G Ipod Touch (a really cool toy but more about that another time) which was actually the only thing I had truly wanted to win for me.

I have to tell you that I was half expecting to be rolled in the parking lot by a group of disgruntled agents bent on evening the odds.

So, I kept my mouth and fingers silent. The holidays finally arrived... I was busier than all get out making personal appearances (as either my clown character "Ellie" or my esteemed balloon artist self) at The Americana, The Grove and various other locations for holiday events. Incidentally, My Mel was shocked beyond belief and THRILLED with his shiny new toy and I was preparing to share my story and start running off at the fingers yet again despite getting that nasty cold that seems to be making the rounds, when I was hit with what can only be described as a double whammy.

My beautiful cat Oliver who I raised by hand from infancy (he and his brothers and sister were between 5 and 8 days old when I got them, I kept two and the other two were adopted) took ill and unexpectedly but peacefully passed away on January 2nd. He is survived by his brother Simon who, please God, remains hale and hearty despite his approaching 15th birthday, "The Monster" his sometime companion and frequent nemesis and his bereft family.

And, to compound the sorrow, my dear friend Jodie's father after a three month illness, protracted hospitalization and ultimate return home for hospice care joined my "Boo" in death the following morning.

Roger was a kind, loving, funny, sardonic, sarcastic, smart and very special son, husband, father and grandfather whose absence will be missed by all who knew him.

Both our families do take comfort in knowing that while we miss them terribly and I am quite sure they miss us as well, hopefully they have found each other and can share with each other on some other plane the companionship, comfort and loving touch we can no longer share with them.

So, that pretty much knocked me for a loop and it was only today that I was finally ready to put fingers to keyboard once again and rejoin my community of colleagues and friends.

Well, now you know where I've been and why things have been so quiet 'round these parts. I hope things have all been well for everyone, am glad to be back.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

The Downside To Having Good SEO...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:04:39 -0700

Hi All,

One of the first acronyms I learned within days, practically within hours of entering the Blogging arena was SEO. Search Engine Optimization was said (or rather typed) with a respect bordering upon reverence. Having your presence in the Internet being noticed and noted by Google, Yahoo et al was considered the be-all and end-all of everything. Well, today I learned why that may not be such a good thing...

I got a phone call from a very nice lady in another state who had found me on the Internet when she did a search looking for help with a Short Sale. As we talked and she laid her story before me I felt worse and worse for her. She is in what my mom used to call a "Mell of a Hess", two different properties in two different states and both are in jeopardy. They are rapidly depleting their retirement account to keep up with the mortgages and are going under with lightening speed.

To add additional pathos to the party, she told me that she had spoken with a "Loss Mitigation Negotiator" who told her that his company would be able to almost guarantee that they could help her with both properties, at no cost to her (unless the bank did not approve the deal which "almost never happens"). He also told her that she would have to sign "a couple of pieces of paper" to have them get started helping her right away, a Release to Convey Information and a Limited Power of Attorney. He is not a Real Estate Agent, but he would refer her to one (whose license is due to expire at the end of September by the way) to handle the sale.

I told her I understood about the Release to Convey as anyone will need that in order to negotiate on her behalf, and in fact I had told her when I was explaining generally how the Short Sale process works, that this would be one of the documents among many that she would need to fill out. But, I asked her, why do they need Power of Attorney?

She read me the letter that they sent her which said that although the document is not mandatory, not signing it would significantly delay her transaction and that they needed it so that they could "sign things for her to keep the deal moving smoothly". I asked her if she had a computer, a printer and access to either a fax machine, a scanner or a Kinkos. Yes, she has all of the above, she said. "Then why do you need someone else to have that level of authority? There is nothing that could come up in a typical Short Sale that requires almost instantaneous response.

Well, she said that the man she spoke with was very nice (shocking, huh?) and that one of the things that attracted her to them was that they advertised that they could prevent Foreclosure and protect her credit. Yes, I told her, I am sure he is a nice guy, and what they are saying is technically true (and the same thing that any Realtor who accomplishes a Short Sale does as well), a Short Sale, if successfully completed does prevent Foreclosure and "protects" her credit in that the Foreclosure would be a huge black mark and the Short Sale would only be a really dark grey one.

She needs help and I can't help her and yet Google told her I was the best person for the job. And it hurts me that I can't. I got into this business to make money, yes, but even more important to me than that, I got into it to help people. That really matters to me more than the money ever could.

I have spent the better part of the afternoon trying to track down some folks who work in the areas her homes are in (near Tucson AZ and Leesburg VA) who are experienced Short Sale specialists. If any of you are, are know someone who is, please send me their contact info ASAP.

So, I have decided that SEO ain't all its cracked up to be. Sure it helps raise you head and shoulders above the crowd, and most of the time that is a wonderful thing. But, sometimes it can put you (or at least part of you, the feeling, human part) in harms way.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

And Then Glinda Asked... "Are You A "Listing" Agent Or A Selling Agent?"

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:28:22 -0700

Hi All,

Don'cha hate this, you get a call from a client wanting to see a home (well I don't hate that part :-). Naturally, the home they most want to see is the one that is listed as "appointment only, no key safe", so I dutifully called the listing agent at all 4 given numbers (by the way, as of now, 10:08 PM, the following day, I have yet to receive a call back) and left messages asking to view the home.

The property is a Short Sale and has been on the market for 230 days... so far. Well, no wonder, no key safe, appointment only, no sign, no response... So I started ranting to my poor hubby (who is usually the patient audience for my Oscar worthy performances), What the heck is wrong with this agent? Do they really want to sell this house or do they just want to list it? And then it hit me - that was exactly what they wanted to do, and they were not alone, there are dozens if not hundreds of agents like them... "Listing" Agents.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not talking about the responsible, highly skilled agents who choose to specialize in working with the owners of the property and who do everything in their power to service their clients and sell the home. I am talking about "Listing" Agents - folks who will take any and every listing they can get their grubby little paws on no matter what they have to do, offer or agree to in order to get them.

They will take a Short Sale without investigating whether or not its a doable deal. And then despite the time critical nature of this transaction, they will agree to not use a keysafe and show the home by appointment only (but are unavailable when anyone tries to make an appointment). They will put the listing on the MLS with no photo (sometimes for months despite possible penalties) or with a picture of the exterior only, taken from the next county. They have never heard of flyers. They will advertise the home as "drive by only". And, of course, they don't have a cell phone and even if they do, they never, and I mean NEVER answer their calls.

Of course they don't discriminate, they give all their clients the same level of "service".

All they are interested in is getting the listing - not selling the home, or helping the people, just getting the listing. And get them they do. But sell them they don't. A search of the MLS will show that quite plainly. Fortunately, I don't count myself among them. I consider myself a Selling Agent.

Sure, I am as excited as the next girl when I am given the opportunity to help someone sell their home. And I am equally excited when I am given the opportunity to help someone buy one. But I think the key motivation for me is being given the chance to help someone. Its not the "deal" that drives me, its the people.

And so, much like Glinda asked Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I shall paraphrase and ask you - "Are you "listing" Agent or a Selling Agent?

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Welcome To The 20th Century or .PDF Means "Please Don't Fax"

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:50:16 -0700

Hi All,

I entitled this post "Welcome To The 20th Century" for a reason, its because I can't believe how many agents I run across who are still firmly mired in the functional equivalent of the 19th, the fax machine.

Come on folks, fax machines were cutting edge technology and truly have revolutionized how business is done. But don't you think it might be time to step up to the newer, better, faster, cheaper and easier to read .pdf? Everyone has (or darn well should have) an email address. And, everyone has (or, again darn well should have) a computer and a printer. Of course if you don't have computer then I really am wondering how you are reading this, and if you don't have a printer to go with it, how do you print off your coupons for Borders?

I just recently submitted an offer for a hotly contested REO (aren't they all) and because the agent only offered a fax number I had to send it that way. Now, I have been known to drive my offers to an agents office, but as seems to be the way of the world nowadays, this is a seriously out of area agent and I wanted to get my client's offer in theoretically faster.

I say "theoretically" because, despite my burning the midnight (OK it was more like the 10:45 PM, so sue me :-) oil, and despite my sending all 32 pages (none of that "just send the 8 page contract" bunk for me, you may not want to see them all, but by gosh I'm going to send them, because our contract here in California hasn't been only 8 pages for decades) and waiting around to receive my confirmation that all went through, on my end with nary an error, I came to find out that the listing agent "never received it".

Well, it darn tootin' went through and it turned out that they got "part of something that looked like an offer" but they didn't know what it was for or who it was from so they just threw it away. It sure is a shame that WinForms doesn't put footers on the contracts that we print out which have the originating agents info on them... Oh, wait... they do... oops, my bad :-).

The upshot of it all was that instead of getting my client's offer in first and having it taking pride of place in the beginning of the que, we were dead last to have our info arrive. By the time they finally got the offer they had already sent the "first" group off to the bank.

On the other side of the coin, I have received offers on my own listings from agents who "don't use email and don't have a scanner" that were blotchy to the point of resembling a Rorschach test. Now, seriously, how am I supposed to present an offer to my client when I can't read the boiler plate let alone the amount and the terms. And don't even get me started on the folks who are still using the triplicate forms - what the heck's that about anyway?

Not only is sending and receiving information via email easy to do, it truly doesn't require any equipment that an agent or brokerage working in today's market shouldn't already possess. All in one printers are easy to use, easy to find and downright cheap. And email is free.

If you are worried about receiving spam in your personal email, I have a quick and easy fix for that one, don't use your personal email. Set up a business account and only use that address for business related correspondence. Yes, you will still get the occasional offer to help some poor Prince in Nigeria steal some dead guy's money before his corrupt government steals it first, but the "delete" button is easy to use and downright cathartic. If only all problems could be dealt with so swiftly!

Please folks, when you think of .PDF try thinking of it as "Please Don't Fax". Embrace the 20th Century, there's a whole lot of good stuff here (Be sure to check out the little glass fronted boxes with pretty pictures inside - we call them "TV's"), and when you're ready, take the leap into the 21st. Trust me, the water's fine.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

No Matter Who You Are Its Still All About Location, Location, Location...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:56:14 -0700

Hi All,

Recently I was in San Francisco (along with around 1000 or so of my friends) for the wonderful Active Rain party, the awesome Zillow Beer With Bloggers, the killer Trulia open house, oh, and a crazy little thing called Inman Connect.

So, after spending time filling my brain with technology tidbits I took a little cruise down to Pier 39, the famous Fisherman's Wharf to inhale the sea air, crack a crab and gaze in fixated fascination at Alcatraz, when I came upon some Sea Lions who appeared to be there to do the self same thing (imagine that !).

After watching these little and not so little guys and gals basking in the sun I realized that right there, before my very eyes was a vivid demonstration of the Real Estate Market.

As I stood there staring, I wished I could share my findings with everyone and then I realized - holy smoke... I can!

As the proud possessor of a brand new Flip Video Camera which I had won just the night before from the wonderful folks at Zipvo and by using the awesome GPS system I won from my friends at Street Advisor (I know, I am the luckiest girl in the whole wide world and winning things is only part of it, I also happen to have the most wonderful hubby ever, two of the greatest Stepsons around, the most beautiful daughter-in-law anyone could have asked for and a granddaughter who would knock your socks off... but I digress) to get me there I was ready to document this "happening". I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

More details available at ZIPVO.com.

Summer Unique Marketing Contest So Who Won?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:35:47 -0700

Hi All,

Well, we are well past the original deadline for submissions for the contest that Renae Bolton started and I for one have been sitting on pins and needles wondering who won... the contest that is. We have all won because of it.

I must admit that some of the ideas shared were indeed a breath of fresh air and just participating got my little juices flowing. I am looking forward to seeing the results.

Although how someone could ever judge all these terrific ideas against each other I'll never know. I am just glad I don't have to do it.

Now, excuse me while I order some M&M's, make some Lemonade, create some new Coloring Pages (my personal favorite :-), write my invites for the Block Party, fill some Balloons, write some Feedback, film my Video Open House, work on my Neighborhood Blog, create my local Website, design my new Coffee Cups, print my Candy Wrappers, make some Postcards, order some Address Labels, start Hiding My Logo all over town, creating my Community Photo Blog, Take My Dog For a Walk (note to self: get a dog :-) and Twitter My Listings.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Butterfly Clients... You Can Catch 'Um, But You Can't Keep 'Um

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:17:07 -0700

Hi All,

It is another beautiful sun-filled day here in glorious Claremont California. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, my phone is ringing and all's right with the world... or is it? I put a call in to a client of mine a couple of days ago followed by several text messages (and boy do I love my new phone the LG EnV2 but that's another story) and I have heard nothing back. Zip, zero, zilch, nada. This is indeed unusual, especially for this person.

I was starting to believe that they had found a way to get a cellphone implant before anyone else, because I could barely press send when a response was winging its way to me, especially where text messages were concerned. So, placing a call and not receiving a response within minutes, let alone hours was unusual to say the least, and a definite clue that something just might be rotten in Denmark and Claremont.

When I did finally get ahold of them today I found out that my concerns were justified. They were and are planning to flit to yet another possible Real Estate purchase situation. Now they are thinking about Lease Option, yet another change that has come out of the blue. Unfortunately, this does not come as any great surprise, considering the fact that I was but one flower upon which this particular Butterfly Client had decided to land.

Sure we've written offers and looked at gobs of property (thank goodness for the Internet as some of our searching could be accomplished from our living rooms), but we aren't moving forward... yet, and herein lies the rub.

What they want is a house, they're sure they want a house... or maybe a townhouse... or possibly a condo... no, no they want a house... a new house... a really new house... with a pool... or maybe not... with 3 bedrooms... but 4 would work too... in Claremont... or Fontana... or Pomona... or Pasadena... or Riverside... or Pacoima... or Granada Hills...

Are you sensing some indecision on the part of these little Butterflies yet, because I sure am. Now I mentioned the fact that this behavior is no surprise to me considering the fact that they have been as indecisive about their representative as they are about what they want to live in. Yes, we are under contract. Yes, it is exclusive and for compensation, and yes, we did go over every square inch and they fully understood what they were agreeing to, but I don't think that Butterflies pay much attention to paper.

Butterflies like pretty, colorful things that attract their attention and they suffer from incurable "Grass Is Greener" syndrome. It doesn't matter where they light or what they light upon, the flower just one stem over will always be better than the one they are occupying now. They are forever in search of "the best" and the shame of it is that "the best" only remains so until they acquire it and then it not only isn't the best anymore, it may not even be deemed any good at all.

What to do? How does one deal with a Butterfly Client? Can they tamed? Can they be happy? Can their agents hold tightly enough onto them to close a deal but not so tightly that they are all damaged in the process? Who's to say... The only thing I am sure of is that the next time I encounter a Butterfly Client, I am not going to worry as much about whether I have my Supra Key handy as I am about where I put my net.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day,

Tisza

Oh, and for some beautiful butterfly portraits check out http://flickr.com/people/zenmasterkha/

"A Verbal Approval Is Not Worth The Paper Its Written On"... Or, "Just 'Cause You Say It, Don't Make It So"

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:18:18 -0700

Hi All,

Don'tcha just love the English language and all the colorful ways folks use it? Boy, I sure do, and I am especially enamored of the way that some folks truly believe that by merely speaking the words they can "wish" things into being. I always knew "Abracadabra" was a magic word that could make things happen merely by uttering it, but I had no idea that "Approval" was similarly endowed. I know that where Short Sales are concerned, this is a powerful word and one everyone involved in the transaction longs to hear. Once "Approval" is uttered a whole lot of things should start happening unless...

They don't mean "Approval" as in "We have, in writing, authorization from the lender and the owner of the property to proceed with the Short Sale at the amount offered for purchase."

They mean "Approval" as in "We got someone on the phone once at the bank and they said that the bank has been known to do Short Sales, but didn't actually commit to anything, still we are pretty sure that they will, so we are going to advertise that they did, and then hope that they do."

I just ran into this situation and was sardonically amused to find that the second scenario was what was occurring. Silly me, I really thought that these folks understood what "Approval" meant, especially because they advertised their listing as having "Full Approval - No Need To Wait For The Bank". (And when I spoke with them, they reiterated this.) No need indeed!

Turns out that all this agent had was a "Verbal Approval" to proceed but there was nothing on paper, save what they had written in the MLS, that in any way was going to make this so. The funny thing is that these folks bill themselves as "Short Sale Experts".

I should have been tipped off that something was amiss when I received a form letter response to an offer touting their success and experience in handling these transactions accompanied by a xerox of a xerox of an unsigned and undated counter asking for things we had already provided.

That was it, two lonely little pages... and nothing else. No initialed RPA, no nothing. (Actually, I was tipped off and I shared my reservations with my client.) I am left to surmise that their "Short Sale Expert" status was worth as much as the "Verbal Approval" they have to proceed. As for the response we received to our offer, I must say that I was further amused, when I queried about the unsigned paperwork and lack of response from the seller, to be told that they "Always just send the offer straight to the bank and only have their client sign it if the bank accepts." Well, just because you "always" do it, doesn't make it right.

And what happens if the bank says "yes" but the owner says "no"? You can't cut the owner out of the deal, after all it is still their property and they have the right to do, or not do, as the case may be, with it what they will.

Folks, just because you say it don't make it so. And no amount of magical thinking will ever replace a nice, solid payoff statement written on good old paper. And if you don't have a solid understanding of what constitutes a binding offer (and an unsigned counter sure ain't it) or how a transaction of any type works, perhaps some time spent reviewing basic Real Estate Principles might be in order.

When it comes right down to it, I have decided that some folks really want to live in a Fool's Paradise. As for me and my client's, we prefer a real home in the real world. So, our search for the perfect home continues*.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Be sure to check out my blog:

http://Route66Living.com/

*My client is preapproved FHA and AmeriDream and we are looking for something under $310,000, built in 2000 or later, 3+ beds, SFR, Townhouse, Condo or PUD with a pool. He's open to anything that is within easy commute distance to a Metrolink Station from Los Angeles to Riverside. If you have anything that fits, please get in touch.

How The Grinch Stole The Kitchen...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:57:43 -0700

Hi All,

Every buyer in Rancho, the tall and the small just wanted to get the best house deal of all. The market was hot, there was no end in sight, so they borrowed the money (who cares if its right). They spent every penny with nary a thought, but when the bottom dropped out a lot were just caught.

Their ARM's were adjusting (but their legs stayed the same) and it wouldn't be long 'til they were out of the game.

The bills just kept coming, soon they got well behind, then the sheriff came looking the owner to find. Foreclosure was looming and these folks were pissed, so what's the big deal if some payments were missed?

Those banks were just evil, for stealing these homes. All these poor folks were forced into all of these loans. So here's what they'd do, to get back at those poops, they'd take every thing right down to the stoops.

They'd strip out the fixtures, punch holes in the walls, break windows and take the cabinets et al. They'd leave not a stick, not a switch or a light, these folks weren't going down without a fight. Who cares if its not the poor house's fault or if what they've done was like an assault.

And what of the agent's when the time comes to sell, these poor crippled homes what stories they tell. Not a word will they say of the homes poor condition, no pictures, no phrases to arouse suspicion? Just listings so barren they're practically blank, and once again they will all lay the blame on the bank.

Its their fault they say I just do as I'm told, (but I've got to tell you that story gets old). What about truth, and not gilding the lily. These partly filled pages are nothing but silly. They waste lots of time, and make people mad, and I for one think that is just sad.

If a house has been damaged and things have gone missin' don't lie by not sharing its present condition. Yes I know it sucks to have bad things to share, but all I am asking is for folks to play fair. Please don't waste my time or my gas or good will, by making me have to go visit this swill.

Pictures are worth more than words so they say. So here for your viewing is what I found today.

I think it might be time to stop all my bitchin', and show you all "How The Grinch Stole The Kitchen..."

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

I Like Free Stuff... And So Do My Client's or The "Write" Way To "Draw" Them In

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:22:25 -0700

Hi All,

When it comes to marketing, in my experience the best marketing ideas don't have to be the most expensive. And the goal of any marketing program is to ultimately get to the point where the burden of the campaign does not fall purely upon your shoulders.

I have found that unconventional, unusual and unexpected are all unsurpassed. I have also found that the more I give the more I get in all areas of my life. So naturally, when I am looking for a marketing opportunity I look first for where I can do good.

I publish reviews of the local businesses that I like and patronize on my personal blog http://Route66Living.com with a link to their website and all their contact information as well. I tend to live by what I call the "Thumper Principle" which is "If You Can't Say Something Nice..." so, I never write a bad review and I only talk about places I really use and enjoy visiting.

It helps the local business by giving them additional free advertising and it helps me by giving me additional content for my blog.

One other idea that I have used with great success was a Children's Internet Art Show.

I created some simple coloring pages (Search the web and you will find loads of free coloring pages available for download. Just add your log and contact information at the bottom and xerox.) and distributed them to every child I came in contact with at a street fair I shared a regular booth at. Every child who brought back a finished piece of art received a personalized Certificate of Achievement I created on the computer using Word and printed on parchment paper which was hand countersigned by me and any other agent at the booth. They also got to pick a toy out of the "Prize Bag".

Then, I got an email address and contact information from their parents so that I could send them a link to the website where their child's artwork would be featured. I scanned the pictures and inserted the resulting .pdf's into an ongoing post and voila! Instant email list and lots of good will.

Well, those are a couple of my favorites and they both have worked very well for me.

Take care, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza!

August 17, 2008 - Oh, and with regard to the coloring pages, you can also just give the kids a plain sheet of paper with your information on the bottom and the request that they "Draw Their Dream House" or their favorite holiday, favorite food, you name it. It is always fun to see what they will come up with and if you make sure that you also get the parent's home address as well as an email you can send them the child's artwork after you have scanned it. Makes a great mailer and they are sure to open it and think kindly of you. T.

Forget Who Moved My Cheese... Who Stole My Sign?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:17:10 -0700

Hi All,

Lately I have been spending a considerable amount of time shepherding buyer's from home to home in search of their perfect place. And lately, most of what we are visiting is either a Short Sale or a Bank Owned Home.

I have seen more than a few homes which have had things missing, faucets in the kitchen, light fixtures in the hall, a built-in bookcase, etc. Usually I have chalked this up to overzealous homeowners taking what they felt was "rightly" theirs.

But I have also begun to encounter something which is distressing, dismaying and downright depressing. The keys to the homes are turning up missing from key-boxes and we are not just talking about the folks who insist on using the old fashioned combo boxes, we're talking about electronic Supra key boxes. And its not just the keys that are going missing, I have also begun finding out signs are getting poached as well.

Now, I am willing to believe that perhaps the signs just "grew legs" on their own. It could happen. I am even able to envision a band of merry pranksters bounding happily from property to property gathering rosebuds and For Sale signs where they may. But am not able to stretch my mind far enough to allow that these selfsame free spirits are accessing these key-boxes and innocently and quite conveniently, neglecting to replace the key, yet remembering to lock every door, after they have finished viewing or showing the homes.

The thing that makes me most unhappy is realizing that the folks doing the key boosting, especially in the case of those removed from the electronic key boxes, have to be other agents. It is no coincidence that whenever I have encountered the missing key, missing sign, phenomenon it appears to coincide with a "hot" property that has received multiple offers.

Perhaps there are some agents out there who think that this is a way to "protect" the property so that their client's won't have as much competition. Perhaps they think that they are acting in their client's best interests or perhaps they are just great big hairy poo-poo heads with no concern for anyone but themselves and no comprehension of the code of ethics those of us who have chosen to become Realtors® follow.

Here's the thing... I know it is possible to put the key in your pocket and, what with juggling a cellphone, Supra Key and the myriad of other things that find their way into your fingers, to forget you popped that puppy into your 501's. But don't you think you might realize it when you went to lock the door, or reached into your pocket again or at the very least, did the laundry?

And, if you find a random key somewhere on your person, would it kill you to give a call to the agents whose listings you have shown to give them the heads up that you may have made a boo-boo and abscounded with the key. 'Cause, I've got to tell you I am getting pretty dang tired of being the one who seems to get stuck being the bearer of bad tidings.

I'm also thinking that this key snagging thing is not a great strategy to pursue. I'm hearing tell that some banks are starting to insist that their REO agents not put keys at the property at all, but instead want their properties to be shown by appointment only and for the keys to stay at the agent's office. I don't know about you, but I sure don't want this to become the norm again. I can count on three fingers of one hand, the number of agents in my neck of the woods who regularly and consistently answer their cellphones and/or return their calls. Nowadays with gas prices soaring, I don't want to have to drive all over creation gathering up keys in some perverse type of Short Sale scavenger hunt.

Sure, stealing the key might delay someone seeing the home. And taking the sign will lessen the number of folks who will drive by and get curious, but it won't stop someone who is determined to view the place. And if you really want to help ensure that your client is the victorious buyer of the property, don't engage in larcenous acts on their behalf, just put the key back where it goes, leave the sign swinging in the breeze and help your clients craft the best offer and everyone wins.

Take care, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

"Were They Be Hero's"... An Internet Cautionary Tale...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:25:18 -0700

Hi All,

The Internet is a bad thing. A very, very bad thing.

Since the advent of email communication the opportunity to make a fool of yourself, has now expanded to a global scale.

Case in point: I was reading a national magazine recently and came upon a story that demanded my rebuttal. It was late when I found the article, later when I read it, and later still when I was inspired to compose my opus.

I searched for the email address of the editor to send this epistle as rapidly as possible, lest delay defuse its impact. With dreams of literary glory clouding my vision, and lack of sleep addling my brain, I began my immortal composition.

I poured out my soul while envisioning my acceptance letter for the job offer that was sure to follow after they received my heartfelt sonnet. I painstakingly searched for just the right words to state my case and then read and reread the finished product. I smiled to myself as I contemplated my forthcoming Pulitzer, and considered nudging my husband awake so that he could help me start planning where to put the vacation home we would purchase with the prize money.

With one last perusal, I confidently clicked “send” and fell into a satisfied but exhausted sleep, dreams of glory and book-tours to come, floating brightly behind my eyes. I happily woke early the following day, the Scarlet O’Hara "morning after" smile playing across my lips, and eagerly grabbed my laptop, prepared to impress and regale my hubby with the wonderful thing I did the night before whilst he slept innocently and unproductively on.

I opened my email and searched through the “sent mail” folder to locate the letter. I proudly, (but with suitable modesty and humility), began my reading, all the while readying myself to graciously accept the compliments that were sure to be forthcoming.

Things started off well enough and I had every expectation that they would continue in a similar vein when I came upon this sentence: “I am guessing that their people weren't in such great shape either after what they had been through either.” Well, I reasoned, it wasn’t Shakespeare but it basically made sense and I was certain that the overall beauty of the words and elegance of the prose would carry me through. (Maybe we would have to be looking at a beach condo and not a Malibu compound but still…)

As the gentle smile that had played across my husband’s face when the reading began slowly developed into a full blown grin, I mistook his look for encouragement and gamely continued. I was reasonably certain that my faux pas was virtually unnoticed and unnoticeable, when I encountered this literary gem: “Were they be hero's for caring for these animals in their time of need. Absolutely!”

The explosive laughter which greeted this turn of phrase was my first clue, albeit a large one, that all was not nearly as well with this product of my creative loins as I had assumed. The 57 word (yes, you read that right, fifty-seven) sentence that followed was truly the icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae and possibly the final nail in my coffin where this publication was concerned.

I began to envision what was happening somewhere in New York where some hapless soul was about to read this gem of a letter, this pearl of wisdom, this carefully crafted catastrophe. First they would scan the letter for content and then would stumble not once, not twice but repeatedly and with considerable force upon my written roadblocks.

I feel fairly certain that somewhere in some far-flung cubicle, there printed out for all to see and admire is the phrase “Were they be hero's” along with the notation to never read another letter sent by this person and furthermore, if they have a subscription to the magazine that it should be canceled. I am henceforth planning to have my friends mule copies to me lest they have also banned my reading it.

Much like the alcoholic who vows never to drink again after a particularly bad hangover, I have vowed never to write another letter to anyone after midnight. Failing that, I will at least not send it until the clear light of morning falls upon my screen.

I have decided that it is all the Internet’s fault. Easy access to information and readily accessible addresses with almost instantaneous delivery is to blame. Surely it can’t be me.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Seller's Its Time To Cash Your Reality Check... And Your Agent Needs To Write It

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:58:16 -0700

Hi All,

This is a rant.... this is only a rant... please do not adjust your viewer but take this in the spirit intended...

Picture this... We are out for a day of property viewing and shockingly most of what we are looking at is in some form of distress. So what this means to me is that these properties, and in the case of Short Sales, these owner's have a level of urgency attached to the outcome of these transactions somewhere in the magnitude 20 range on the Richter Scale. But do they? Are they behaving like they do? Nope, not one bit from what I have seen.

Am I missing something here? Was there a memo that went out? Did I, the Queen of Continuing Education somehow bypass a class? Where are some sellers getting the idea that in this, or any market, playing hard to get (and hard to get ahold of) is one of the keys to selling success? And where are the Agent's getting the idea that teaching their clients the rules of the game is somehow NOT part of their job?

I have made appointments with the agents to show a distressed property which is appointment only, no key box, no sign, (good move there Einstein, you need to get this puppy sold pronto but heaven forbid the neighbors or anyone else for that matter finds out it's for sale.) only to arrive and have the property owner totally in the dark about the appointment and unwilling to let me in. (Would it have killed the agent to call their client and make sure the showing is OK?).

Or my personal favorite... the "Oh, yeah my agent told me you were coming, but today's not a good day for me. Can you come back next Tuesday between 1:47 and 2:36?" All the while, my client is cooling their heels at curbside and letting their interest in the property drain into the gutter like dirty rainwater.

No, as a seller they don't have to let every Tom, Dick or Mary traipse through their home whenever they like, but if they are going to insist upon "appointment only" and I have one, then, gosh darn it, let me in or let me know BEFORE I get to your door that we need to reschedule.

And this is a new phenomenon... I have tried to call Agent's only to find that not only is their phone number disconnected, but their office's number is as well, and the only person listed on the MLS that I can reach is the client, who by the way, is totally unaware of these facts.

I have said it before and I will say it again (and again, and again, and again...) that I believe that the reason 80% of Short Sales don't work is because 80% of agents don't work. Folks, these seller's are in trouble and in pain so if you aren't capable or qualified to aid them then get them to someone who is. This is no different than if you come upon someone who is injured and bleeding, if you aren't truly the best person to sew up the wound so that they will heal properly then get them to someone who can.

Referral fees are wonderful things, to paraphrase "They are twice blessed, blessing the giver and the receiver".

Here's the thing, truth be told, in most cases I can't and don't actually fault the seller's. The responsibility and the blame for their lack of knowledge both lie squarely at the feet of the people they have chosen to represent them, their Agents.

By abdicating their position as not just a partner but a guide for their client's transaction, they could be condemning them to an unfavorable outcome and will also be continuing to tarnish my, and every other good Agent's name.

The public truly sees us all as cut from the same cloth (There is a reason why we are always painted as the villain in the story, and why it is considered perfectly OK by most people to paint us as such. Unfortunately, it's a reputation well earned, not by me or anyone I work with, but well earned nonetheless.), and if we don't take steps to change this perception than we are all no better than the man who refused to throw the stone but would hold someone else's coat so that they could.

Folks, teach your client's what it takes to give themselves the best shot at success, not just with a distress sale, but with any other as well. Making a home difficult or impossible to see or show is but one nail in the coffin of the transaction. Not understanding the entire process involved from start to finish and what their responsibilities are (both the optionals, and the musts) is nail number two. Not allowing the Agent to broadcast to the world the availability of the home for purchase via signage, MLS exposure and prominent Internet advertising can be number three. And so on...

The way I see it, the Reality Check needed is a pretty hefty one, but if the Agent is willing to write it, and the client is willing to believe in its value and cash it, then everyone stands to get paid.

Rant concluded... I will now return my soap box to its regularly scheduled duty.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Are Your Client's Suffering From "Helpful Friend Syndrome"?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:26:26 -0700

Hi All,

Today I want to call your attention to a plague sweeping our Nation. A woefully underdiagnosed ailment striking down innocent folks somewhere every minute of every day, "Helpful Friend Syndrome". Helpful Friend Syndrome (or HFS) can strike anyone, anywhere at anytime and it is not limited to folks looking to enter the Real Estate market, it can strike folks considering a job change, involved in a romantic relationship or contemplating any major life decision.

HFS seems harmless enough, but let me assure you that this can be a killer. One of the first symptoms of HFS is auditory, you will hear the victim say something like "I was talking to my friend "Blah-Blah" the other day and they said...". And no matter what "they" said, I can tell you from personal experience that "they" never said anything good, or at least not good for you and certainly not good for the poor soul about to fall victim to HFS.

The second symptom is visual. You will know they are well and truly infected when you see that "Deer In The Headlights" look that accompanies their quavering voice as they murmur "I don't know... I just don't know".

When a relationship is involved the HFS carrier will say something like "Hmm, you've been dating him how long and he still hasn't given you a ring yet? Are you sure he's over his ex?" Or the ever popular "Sure he's a Doctor who worships the ground you walk on and who you love being with every minute, but I really liked your ex boyfriend better... When is he due to be released again?"

If a job is the topic, then the carrier will be sure to point out all the reasons why your dream job falls short. "So you'll be making twice as much as you do now, you know money can't buy happiness." Or, "A promotion to Manager, huh? Boy, now all your friends at work are going to hate you."

But where Real Estate is concerned, this is where the HFS Carrier really shines. Despite being lifelong renter's they are the absolute experts on what the market will be doing six months from now so they will advise you to hold off on any decisions until then.

They know that even if you find the home that fulfills every one of your want's and needs, if you haven't looked 50 others you aren't done yet. They can tell you without ever seeing a comp how much your house is worth and, if you have it on the market, no matter what you are offered it is never enough. They always know that the house around the corner sold for more than you got (if you're the seller) and for way less than you paid (if you're buying).

So, by now I am sure you are wondering what can be done to combat this scourge. Is there a treatment or, dare I say it, a cure? Well, I'll tell ya, there is and there isn't. You can't prevent the infection because we are all carriers who at one time or another have done our share to continue the plague. But you can do some preventative maintenance, which might work, sort of the way washing your hands frequently can help to prevent colds.

You can talk to your clients about this great illness, vaccinate them with information to try to stave off infection, and build a strong relationship with them so that yours will become a voice they will listen to above the din. Or, you can fill your tank and prepare to show them fifty homes in rapid succession and to explain why, once they've seen everything for sale from sea to shining sea, that perfect house they saw way back on day one isn't available anymore.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Claremont Hero's Needs Your Help!

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:33:30 -0700

Hi All,

(This article was originally published on my blogsite Route66Living.com, mere moments ago, but in an effort to help it gain the widest possible audience, because it is a cause I truly believe in, I am re-posting it here as well.)

If you've driven down the shady streets of Claremont in the fall you might have noticed the eye-catching red, white and blue banners lining most of the major thoroughfares. These are the "Claremont Hero's" banners saluting those brave men and women, past and present who have selflessly served their country in our armed forces.

If you've seen them you might have wondered how they got there and how folks were chosen to receive the honor. Well, I'll tell you... Claremont Hero's is the direct result of one local resident, Army Reserve wife and mom Debra Mendelsohn's efforts to find a way to answer her kids when they asked why their daddy didn't have his name up on a banner like the ones that they saw for other moms and dads in other communities.

The city does not sponsor this program, all the funding to create, install and maintain the banners comes from community members. When the program started there were about 50 honorees and each banner cost about $250 to produce and have hung. In the last couple of years the program has grown and now the organization needs about $3000 to fulfill all the banner requests they have received.

Any Claremont resident or former resident who was a past or present member of any branch of the Armed Forces is eligible for nomination to be recognized with a banner at no cost to them or their families.

I know times are tough, but I also know personally what it feels like to have a loved one far from home, in a hostile place, facing danger at every turn so that I can sit in comfort and safety awaiting their return.

My oldest step-son Sgt. Scott Swanberg, U.S. Army just returned 3 weeks ago from his second tour of duty this time in Afganistan and he is scheduled to be redeployed somewhere around January or February for parts unknown.

When my husband and I drive down Indian Hill and see Scott's name high above on a Claremont Hero's banner it makes him feel a little less far away. I want to help other families enjoy that same feeling.

Please contact the AMERICAN LEGION POST 78 to send them your tax deductible donation to support this worthy cause. Checks should be made out to: American Legion Post 78 and mailed to: American Legion Post #78 Post Office Box 128 Claremont, CA 91711 (please mark "banner program" on the memo section of your check).

For more information about the program or for any additional questions, please contact: Debra Mendelsohn Founder, Claremont Heroes (909) 641-5758

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

All Babies Are Beautiful... But What If The Baby's Ugly?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:19:22 -0700

Hi All,

Let's face it, if we were all given our druthers, there is not a one of us that wouldn't love to always have the most beautiful listing on the block. And sometimes we do, sometimes the baby is beautiful... but sometimes, sometimes that baby is butt ugly, then what do you do?

Well I don't know about you, but this one seems to be a no-brainer to me. I believe in truth in advertising, I believe that honesty is the best policy and I believe that there is someone for everyone (which explains my ability to marry :-). There is nothing that gets my spidey senses thrumming quite so quickly as inaccurate, misleading or just plain missing listing pictures.

Sure, we all want to present our listing in its best light, but putting up one crummy picture shot from across the street and down the block or through enough filtering to make Grandma Moses look like Suri Cruise is not doing anyone any favors.

And what does it say about you and your integrity if you are starting off your relationship with a potential buyer based upon a creative presentation of the information (read that lie)?

Even if the place is a wreck, saying or better yet showing its current condition is really the better way to go. Think about it, what is your and your client's real goal? is it to have everyone in the state calling you and trooping through the place, but not writing an offer because its not what they expected or wanted, or is it to have the folks who are looking for a property like this one to be able to find it quickly and easily?

Sometimes, we really do have to remember that pretty and ugly truly are in the eye of the beholder. And this is especially true if the home's current owner is "Decorating Impaired". They love their purple shag carpet and their orange walls and someone else might too. As long as you prepare your seller for the prospect that the folks looking at their home might not e bthe creative visionaries that they are and will probably ask for a carpet and paint allowance, all should still be good.

So if you have the ugly baby on the block, present it with love, kindness and accuracy, let it's good points shine through, and rest assured that somewhere out there is someone who will see through its faults to the beauty within and will love it for what it is and not what it isn't.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

The Technology Trap... The Faster You Go, The Faster You NEED To Go...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:46:33 -0700

Hi All,

I just got back from Inman Connect in San Francisco (where I had a wonderful time and learned loads but that's another blog...) the defacto Real Estate Technology gathering spot. When I arrived in sunny (and it really was sunny for the entire week I was there) San Fran, I thought I was a pretty up-to-date gal. In fact, I would go so far as to say I was technologically advanced (they don't call me Gadget Girl for nothing, boy...). My cellphone did everything I needed a cellphone to do, my camera was a-ok and my laptop (even though it is old - I did buy it in late May '08 after all) was perfectly adequate.

I had been there all of maybe one hour when I willingly stepped into the Technology Trap. I'm working with a new buyer client who is an avowed texting devotee. He is of the one sentence, one word and sometimes even one letter ilk and he sent me a message with a question.

I tend to believe that the way my client contacts me is, unless they tell me otherwise, is the way they prefer to be contacted, so I slowly texted him back.

I am not a great texter, I'll be the first one to admit it, mainly because in my personal life I really resent the whole "text" thing. The idea that someone could decide to send me one message or 1000 and I will get charged for each and every one of them whether I want them, open them or not, just galls me. I have a messaging plan more for self and pocketbook preservation than for personal use, but still...

And that is when it happened, my cellphone which I had just minutes before been quite happy with, was now suddenly transformed into an archaic device bent on holding me back from meaningful dialog. Clearly, this 12 pad dinosaur would never continue to do, it was going to need to be QWERTY at the very least to stay afloat.

Then, I saw the Flip camera and my 8-mega-pixel almost credit card sized wonder was suddenly old hat. Sure, it shoots video too, but it doesn't have that snazzy pop-out USB or such a rapport with AOL & YouTube that they are on a first name basis.

And what real good is a laptop if it doesn't have a touchscreen you can write on, hold a terabyte of information and fit into the back pocket of your skinny jeans while still leaving room for two packs of gum, a box of Altoids and a tube of lip goo?

This is indeed a slippery slope, a veritable minefield just waiting for the unsuspecting traveler to stumble their way into trouble. Now I will be the first to admit that I don't really mind being compelled to update, upgrade or upchuck depending upon the circumstances, but it is dismaying to find that in the time it takes for me to gnaw my way through the blister packing, the item that I am trying to liberate has already become passe.

Oh, sure you can try to keep up. You can tell yourself that things really aren't moving at such a breakneck pace, but the fact remains that as part of this brave new world, in the time it takes to blink, you can and will be left behind. It's like the old ram jet engine "The Faster It Goes, The Faster It Goes".

And, while I may whine and kvetch, the fact remains that since I fancy myself one of the standard bearers blazing a trail into new frontiers, I need to pick up the pace. The tigers of technology are gaining on me and gaining fast. Why, if I wait much longer to implement the changes that my week away brought so forcefully to the forefront, I won't just be left behind I will be deserted. And without an iPhone to point my way, or a window to throw it out of, I fear I truly will be lost.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

It's A Banner Day! My First EVER Video Blog! Thanks Zipvo!

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:22:53 -0700

Hi All,

Today has been an amazing day and if I ever wondered if I was truly the luckiest girl alive I think I found out conclusively this afternoon.

I have been in San Francisco most of this week enjoying my second Inman Connect and even getting here was the result of tremendous good fortune! Zillow ran a contest to give away three full conference package tickets (provided to them by the good folks at Inman) and I was fortunate enough to win one. Thank you Drew Meyer's, David Gibbon and all the good folks at Zillow!

But that is not where my good fortune ended. The awesome folks at Street Advisor.com (a really neat site you should check out if you haven't already) were having a drawing for some terrific prizes. They gave away four DS Lites to four really happy folks and then they got to the final prize drawing for a NavMan GPS and amazingly, I was lucky winner number five! That was pretty cool (and it gets even cooler when you realize that just last year I won a Tom Tom from these very same folks - clearly someone wants to tell me where to go and how to get there :-), but it gets even cooler...

Zipvo.com was also holding a drawing for a Flip Ultra Camera and tboy did I want to win that! Astoundingly, after stirring the pile of business cards really thoroughly and holding the bowl high above their heads they drew one card out of the scores collected and guess who's card amazingly rose to the top? Yup, the luckiest girl in the world's, mine :-)

So, without further ado, here for all my friends here at AR is my very first EVER Video Blog Post. My world may never be the same...

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Inman Blogger's Connect - Just Checkin' In...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:16:06 -0700

Hi All,

It's 8:36 AM, way to flippin early to be awake if you ask me, thank goodness for Starbucks, and here in Sunny SF you can't swing a dead shrew let alone a cat without hitting one. Incidentally, I think I just figured out why pedestrians and drivers behave as they do here in the city - caffeine overload, but I digress...

I am here at the beautiful Palace Hotel preparing to start my busy day. After scoping the space for a seat closest to an outlet I set myself up to let my fingers do the walking and my brain do the dribbling, this should be fun. I went to the "Blogger's & Beer" event hosted by Good Ole Zillow last night and had a blast. The venue was neat (but, boy was that room warm, I guess cramming all those folk just simmering with creativity will do that to a place), the food was... interesting. Pulled Pork sandwiches rocked and the baked Mushroom Risotto was great but the spring rolls which I can best describe as spicy grass wrapped in a cold noodle took some palate cleansing. Fortunately, there are Pizza places on just about every corner so life as I knew it could continue.

I am looking forward to learning about video blogging (Finally, all those years of theatrical training won't be wasted!) and hopeful that I will be able to successfully post my very first ever Video offering from this very event. I am quite sure that finding someone who might know a thing or two about it shouldn't be difficult.

The room is filling up fast and my desire to mix and mingle with everyone is becoming almost unbearable. It is always interesting to me to see where folks choose to sit at an event like this. I am a convinced that there is some deep psychological meaning behind seating. I am a confirmed front row type, I hate being behind anything, at anytime... I would continue to ramble on but the panel just started and I need to actually pay attention :-)

More later...

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

Are You Suffering From Blogger's Block?

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:47:59 -0700

Hi All,

As some of you may have noticed, I had been a little quiet of late... try about four months or so. For one who had hitherto-fore been among the most prolific and long winded, for me to go silent was quite some feat. I know you may not believe it but I was suffering from "Blogger's Block". I knew where I caught it, but up until recently I had not the foggiest notion how to cure it.

Oh sure, I tried, in fact my admin was littered with the fits and starts of tounge tied, fumbling fingered, humor impaired attempts at creativity. Finally, I gave up. I admitted defeat (something I rarely do) and decided that the muse had forever deserted me and I would just have to go on with my life. And I tried. But the lure was too strong and my desire not to be thwarted by an unseen and unarmed foe was even stronger. Still, I was not sure what, if anything I could do to remedy the situation.

Then one day, about three days ago to be exact, I was talking with my hubby about something else entirely and the subject came around to writing. Now, he is a good writer, a really good, truly gifted writer. But here's the thing, as much as he would like to write and as talented as he is, with the exception of emails, the occasional white paper for work and some online forums he frequents he doesn't write. So I asked him why and he told me it was because he had nothing to say.

I told him that was silly and that the only way to find things to say was to start saying things. When, BAM! It hit me right between the eyes... There it was, flopping right out of my lips and dribbling down my chin, the answer to my problem. I couldn't write because I wasn't writing. Simple as that. I was getting so worried about what I would say and about how it would be received that I scared myself into silence. I got what I call an "Attack of the Shy's", and I let it overwhelm me.

I backed away from the very thing that could be my salvation and I know I am not the first and I know I am not alone. Blogger's Block can strike anyone but there is a cure - start blogging. Don't worry about who's reading it, or what "they" might think. Don't censor yourself just let the thoughts drip through your hands and rain out your fingertips. No, they won't all be Tolstoy, and thats OK. They don't all need to be. Just don't let what happened to me happen to you.

Writing is like going to the gym, it is a whole lot harder to go back than it is to keep going. So keep going, write what you want, when you want, the way you want. Damn the torpedo's, full speed ahead!

Take care all, help lots of people and have a wonderful day!

Tisza

'Twas The Night Before Inman...

Tisza Major-Posner, DRE#01784679 (I.V.P.G. - Inland Valley Professional Group) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:06:09 -0700

Twas the night before Inman and all through the house, not a creature was sleeping, not even my spouse.

The suitcases were standing right next to the door, and the clothes they were scattered all over the floor.

The hotel reservations all had been made, and the credit card bills had even been paid!

The Pruis was gassed and the snacks were all stowed, the tires were filled (and my legs had been mowed).

When all of a sudden my cellphone chimed, a brand new buyer was there on the line.

He's prequaled to four or even four ten and he wants me to find him a house with a den!

The time is now flying, what am I to do? I need to help him and to go bye-bye too!

Thank goodness for email and texting et al, (that messaging package was a really good call).

I'll search high & low and the offer we'll write, then into the car to drive straight through the night.

Through Glendale, Through Van Nuys, Through Sherman Oaks too, Past Fresno, Past Gilroy (that place is a zoo), to the top of the State all the way up the 5 I will be clutching my wheel on this six hour drive.

I'll be at the Hilton before the sun sets, but missing my hubby, the kid and the pets.

I'll arrive just in time for the very first fete, my stomach a-rumbling & my whistle to wet.

I'll see all my old friends, and make some brand new, and maybe I'll get a room with a view!

We'll party till sun up (you know how we are), then on to the conference (I hope it's not far). We'll learn about blogging, foreclosures and things, like how to use video, trackbacks and webrings.

Our heads soon will fill with all manner of stuff, thank goodness for parties cause this blogging is tough!

See you there!

Take care all, help lots of people and have a great day!

Tisza