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My First Active Rain Referral CLOSED!!

Now this was a great transaction! And it all started on my first day in The Rain. Check out the chronology:

Feb 10 - Joined Active Rain feeling like Bambi on ice. Set up my profile and posted my first blog entry - Welcome to My Blog. Received a referral alert from Jack Torres of the Homefinding Center in Corona CA. Jumped on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich, interviewed and got the referral. Thanks, Jack! Thanks Active Rain!

Feb 12 - Met buyer Ron W. at first house. Thus begins the happy house hunt. We start inland with new townhomes. Turns out Ron is a fellow surfer so we end up using surf spots and proximity to the ocean as primary criteria for his home; bonus for me, I get to see the ocean while showing homes.

Feb 18 - 4 days of showing, 22 homes, a Surf Burger and 3 fish tacos later I showed Ron a bank owned condo in Carlsbad its second day on the market, offer written. It's near great north San Diego County surf spots, 4 blocks from the beach.

Feb 21 - Offer accepted! Scha-WING!!!

Feb 23 - Escrow opened on a 30 day escrow.

This is where the normal stuff happened. We reviewed disclosures, surfed, did inspections, surfed again, wrote the request for repairs, surfed yet again. What? This IS normal in Southern California right down to my jeans, Hawaiian shirt and flip flops. Just kidding, I wore shoes most of the time...

March 26 - Loan is funded.

March 27 - Scheduled to record and close TODAY, essentially a done deal. I know, it was supposed to be a 30 day escrow. So we went over by 2 days due to small issues not even worth mentioning.

Here's the best part. I just found out from the listing agent that 3 offers came in AFTER ours was accepted, HIGHER than what Ron paid, those buyers were hoping we would bail out. Fat chance. Right now Ron is smiling.

Thanks again AR, thanks Jack! I'm goin' surfing now...

Marvin de la Vega

Marvin before the paddle out...

Posted by Marvin de la Vega on 03/27/2009 08:40 AM

Comments (54)

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54 Comments on My First Active Rain Referral CLOSED!!

MAR

2009

We reviewed disclosures, surfed, did inspections, surfed again, wrote the request for repairs, surfed yet again.

Hey Marvin,

I don't think you're cut out for a career in real estate. You're having WAY too much fun!!! :)

Congrats on closing your ActiveRain referral. Hopefully the first of many!

Congrats Marvin, it's like that everyday, just ask Jeff D in your neck of the woods.:))

Marvin,

Congratulations, hope this is the first of many. It is fun to play in the Rain.

Congratulations on closing your first of many deals to come! Surfers buy homes too, don't they?

LOVE AR. . specially after a closing. CONGRATULATIONS!

Marvin, great story! thanks for sharing it! This is a great place!

Cobngratulations. I am still looking to close my first one. I have receved about 3 listing referrals. Here is hoping for me and great for you

Congratulations! Great story. Keep up the good work.

Wow, this gives a newbie like me a lot of hope. staying focused while not sweating the small stuff, thanks for sharing.

lol..hobo on a ham sandwich - great analogy!

Congrats and I hope that I can share a similar experience with you at some point!

Thanks everyone! Referrals add to the enjoyment of my chosen profession. They're the icing on the cake, if you will. I'm glad to be amongst so many fine examples of agents and industry insiders that I can learn from. The best part as a nearly independent agent is I have a place to share and be supported by you. In turn it's a great place to give back!

Thank you, thank you - I'm singin' in the Rain!

Way to go....!! I'm still waiting for my first AR referral to come along. Oh well....it's only been 2 1/2 years, so I told, good thing come to those who wait! Ha!

Patricia Aulson/ Portsmouth NH Real Estate

Marvin - Awesome! Great story, seem like you really connected with the client and had fun. :)

Marvin - Congratulations!

congratulations. Now go get another one closed!!

Congratulations! Isn't that a great feeling? I love it! Now for the next one! KM

Hi,

Congratulations on your closing. I have gotten several prospects from active rain just no closings yet.

Tinker

Marvin, way to go! Congratulations on closing the referral. You're having way too much fun in this business. lol

Congratulations Marvin. I was lucky enough to have my first closed side becasue of Active Rain last year.

Congratulations on your success. This is a great testimonial to the power of the internet and social networking.

Always great to hear a success story about the rain. May we all be so fortunate!

Way to go! Successs stories are always encouraging!

If I could get Jack to chime in, he could validate this. After he said he would send his client my way, I asked him for some feedback. I asked "Just so I can either keep a good thing going or improve what I do, how did you decide to pick me of all of these agents (his phone was ringing in the background)? His paraphrased answer was this. "You were the first to call and leave me a message. I was actually on the phone with an agent that didn't sound motivated at all and then you called back. I liked how you were quick to respond and persistent, plus you interview well. You sound like you know what you're doing and you come across the phone as a nice guy...". For those looking for your first, it will happen - hang in there, smile and hustle.

David and Kristin - you are so right! I can't rest on my laurels, I'm on to the next one!

Marvin

P.S. Is it okay to surf once in a while?

Great Job, Enjoy the Sun and the Waves!! Thank You for Sharing your story. It reminds us all why we love our Jobs!!

Marvin, I love it. I am out the door to go cross country skiing with the intention that as long as I am living the lifestyle that Colorado offers customers are attracted to that. It is so fun to work with people that you have something in common.

I now know why I am not near an ocean with waves, small boards that the goal is to stand on, balance & move forward ~ yikes.

I look forward to reading about more of that from you!

Marvin - Congrats! That is quite a success story for your 1st day in the rain.

Great post, loved the humor, and congratulations on a job well done!!

Kathy B

Great Job!!

Hi:

I'm so impressed. Enthusiasm sells! The ability to combine work with play is one of the perks of selling real estate. Best job in the world. Congratulations!

Robi Lorio

Well that is a wonderful story and would be on everyone's wish list I'm sure. I have to agree about your enthusiasm coming right off the page. Clearly it must come through when you speak to people as well. Congratulations!! Hope this one is the first of many.

When a post makes me laugh and motivates me at the same time, I feel good. The unsaid takeaway is that if this business makes you miserable, why not do something else?

Marvin - This is a great story! Congrats - now you just got to keep blogging, blogging, blogging, - talk about your community and what's so great about it, talk about how the markets doing. And you'll keep those referrals coming in.

That is impressive! The picture made me jealous as I look out my window at the remains of our first Blizzard of 09!!! AHHH..to be at the beach.

Congratulations!

Congratulations that was really quick. I like the metaphor bambi on ice.

Hi Marvin - Congratulations on your first Active Rain transaction. I must say the results were quicker for you than most. I've seen an increase in activity resulting from AR over my period of involvement. There certainly are benefits to being an "Active Rainer."

WOW, now that's awesome!

It sure is a great feeling...to get that first closing through efforts here... congratulations!

Whoaaaa! Dude!!! That is so cool. I guess here in Maryland I better start betting on the horses and crabs between showings.

Thanks to all of you! This is a great place to be, both in San Diego and in the Rain!

Kelly - You're an athlete, it's not as hard as you'd think!

Robi, Geri and Joe - thanks a million. For my next trick I'll need to answer the question "how many REALTORS® does it take to screw in a light bulb...? Any help out there?

Jessica - that's next, you are so right, gotta expand the foci

Sally - the picture is actually at Barbers Point in your neighborhood. I'm a Radford grad!

Thank you, thank you all for your comments!

Brien - I just guffawed, milk almost came out of my nose...

Congratulations, good for you. You deserve a day at the beach after a closing. Just flew home to Iowa from Florida on Monday and am already missing it big time!

Congratulations! The first in a line of many more to come.

You are my hero. Wow you are a magnet. May there be much more. blessings.

Congrats on your first activerain closing

I want one! Me too! Me too!

Marvin--Kudos!!! The happy ending would not have been possible without your diligent follow-up. Love the sand and the surf. We have sand on the shores of Lake Erie, but no surf unless it is stormy. At this time of year the water is just above freezing. Enjoy!!

MAR

2009

Marvin-Congrats on a very active day in the rain, I am sure that you are so glad to be in the rain.

Thats great Marvin now go enjoy that big wave.....peace zane

Thanks my friends for all your kind thoughts. Pat, you're too kind. In all this I probably didn't give enough credit to my client Ron. He was the major equity holder in this whole successful endeavor. He was so motivated and open to my coaching. I couldn't have done it without him (duh). But really, our clients deserve our best and he had a similar comment Pat, he really is thrilled to have his home by the beach.

Zane, yes I'm going to go reward myself with a saline treatment!

Marvin

Marvin--Impressive that AR worked so well for you so quickly. I know others in the rain that didn't see any business from blogging efforts for months. Important to see that you were aggressive enough to set up alerts and call in a timely manner to request the referral. So much referral business in the network! Congrats!

Marvin - Wonderful news and sorry I came around late, featured by the Gods and featured at:

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Teri - I feel thankful and blessed for this. Thanks for the kudos.

Bob - Thanks yet again for the feature. You are too kind in promoting the Marv. Hey, I hopped on the bike for a quick ride along the coast yesterday. How's yours running?

MAR

2009

Marv- My bike is running great and I am so jealous that your riding your down the coast. I use to live in Santa Barabara many years ago and use to ride my bike every morning to Carpenteria through Ventura. Those were the days and I really miss them!

Your very welcome on the feature, it's a great post and you will be getting a letter soon in the mail.

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Marvin de la Vega

Chula Vista, CA

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Trident Realty Group

Address: 12707 High Bluff Dr, Ste 200, San Diego, CA, 92130

Office Phone: (619) 721-3321

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