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Is this the new normal?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 GREC# 169695

In years past, even the busy years, it would be typical for things to be very quiet around my office between Thanksgiving and the New Year holiday.  In fact, because we sell lake property it's usually the first few pretty weekends that might come in February or March, depending on the forecast before we are running full steam into the summer rush of owning a Lake Sinclair home.  This year, while for the most part was what I like to call "slow steady", December has been VERY busy. 

Today we got a referral from an out of town broker who happens to have one listings in our area.  She was called by a purchaser who was inquiring about her listing and it turned out not to be right for the buyer.  The broker, knowing that we know more about this area than she does called us to refer this buyer.  Also we had to extend one contract today.  It seems the appraiser is taking a vacation and not doing his job in a timely manner.  We don't even know who the appraiser is at this point.  (you just gotta love HVCC when the loan officer doesn't know who the dang appraiser is)  And after 10 days of back and forth negotiations we finally have a contract on a lake home that I listed just a few weeks ago.  I'm really excited for my seller.  He had listed his lake home with a different firm previously and said he wasn't even sure it had been shown.  Maybe, just maybe that firm doesn't post their new listings to ActiveRain.  I posted it there and got a call.  Turned out the caller was already working with an agent, but that was okay.  I still gave him the price and told him I was sure his agent would be happy to show it to him as she was in our MLS and had full access to the property anytime between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. when the supra lockbox was set to operate.

And now I just had to take a break from writing this post and talk to the appraiser.  HAHA I know who he is now.  I know who he is now.  Seems the LO who was blaming the appraiser earlier was unaware that he just got a copy of the contract today.  What a total mess HVCC makes of things.  Of course also not the Loan officer's fault.... it's not she was allowed to send it to him.

Meanwhile the phone keeps ringing as I'm trying to type this post.  My husband finally got his stiches out today from his hand surgery.  My duty agent left early because he just "had" to get home to see the kickoff of the Georgia Bulldogs game.  It's really a good thing that my 2009 resolution was to NOT complain about being busy.  Frankly- I hereby extend my resolution to 2010.  I won't complain about being busy then either. I hope for all my sellers that this trend continues and that January will be just this busy.

And I still have to go home, walk the dog and cook dinner.  :) 

And I bet you are tired from just reading this aren't you?

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Tammy@Lake-Sinclair.com

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Tammy Lankford, Broker/Owner

 

Broker License # 169695  Lane Realty License # H-11420

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Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Tammy:  Perhaps this IS the new normal... at least for you.  What great problems you seem to be having... with the phone just continuing to ring... and interrupting your blog post writing.  Just try to bear up under the stress my dear.  Do your best, and then, when the sales close... somehow find the energy to take your checks to the bank and deposit them.  Oh... the pain of it all... LOL.

Dec 28, 2009 07:44 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Hi Tammy,

Sounds like you are experiencing a good end to 2009! We have been busy all year and are winding down with a list of many new listings for January, February & March. It's a good thing to be busy..you know the alternative!

Dec 28, 2009 07:46 AM
Alicia Gibson
McLeRoy Realty Associates, Inc. - Zebulon, GA
Associate Broker, McLeRoy Realty Associates, Inc.

Tammy, I am beginning to think it may BE the "new normal"!  I wrote a blog about Agents going AWOL at Christmas about this very same thing!  I actually SHOWED on Christmas Eve!  Got one in negotiations from Christmas Eve Eve so hey....I LOVE it!  I should have subscribed to you before now because I have read a blog of yours before...promise to do so once I finish this one! ;-)

Remember me here in Pike County/surrounding counties and I will DEFINITELY remember you!  Wishing you/yours a Happy New Year and Prosperity for 2010! BTW: Prosperity is more than $$$ in my thinking!

Dec 28, 2009 07:49 AM
Jeanne Dufort
Coldwell Banker Lake Country - Madison, GA
Madison and Lake Oconee GA

Tammy

I agree - the new normal is, well... a return to the active markets of 2005-2006!  Maybe not for everyone, but for us hard-working (available during the holidays) realtors it sure is!

greeting from just a few miles north - Madisona and Lake Oconee...

Dec 28, 2009 08:18 AM
Cindy Jones
Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA
Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

I like the new normal though there are moments when I get confused about who is on first.  I's continually surprised by agents who have decided to take the last few weeks of the year off.

Dec 28, 2009 08:28 AM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Tammy - this seems to be the new normal for me too.  Typically, I am pretty slow between Thanksgiving and New Years - BUT NOT THIS YEAR! 

I know, I too shouldn't complain about being busy closing escrows.  I'm sure there are many other LO's out there that would like to be as busy as me.  So, I am not complaining but just agreeing that this is a normal that I could get very used to. 

Also, I totally agree on the not being able to know who the appraiser is.  SO FRUSTRATING!

Dec 28, 2009 08:42 AM
Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Tammy...

It HAS been busy here in GA, that's for sure!

Dec 28, 2009 09:26 AM
Mary Douglas
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO
REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Tammy, I like busy - I won't ever complain about busy- I'm laughing my head off at Karen Anne's comment! 

Dec 28, 2009 02:50 PM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Oh Karen Anne- I send my husband to the bank to deposit the checks, I don't have time for that. LOL  The whole appraiser blaming one person and one person blaming him was so funny today.  And truly- I'd love the phone to ring ALL the time.

Dorie- I completely agree that busy always beats the alternative.  

Alicia- Glad to hear it, I was hoping it was all over and not just a fluke.

Jeanne- Don't you just love it?

Cindy- I am hoping for New Year's Day *or at least the morning.  After 10 years with Donald this is the first one with him having both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off so we can do something.

Donne- I keep hoping for that repeal.

Richard- I was recently up your way for a closing in Peachtree City.  Newnan is so pretty. I'm glad you are busy too.

Mary- she's a hoot, that's for sure.  I like busy too.  Every now and again I wish I could clone myself.  One for working, one for housework.  Oh well... I'll just keep an untidy house.

 

Dec 28, 2009 04:10 PM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Tammy:  I'm sitting here... just trying to picture this world of ours if somehow you were to be cloned.  Oh what a wonderful place it would be.  Oooppps... my cat Mollie T just burped.  Hmmm... I wonder if she was trying to tell me something... LOL.

Dec 28, 2009 07:59 PM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Well as matter of fact, my daughter is so much like me... it's almost like a clone.  We had a cat named Mollee until last year.  White.  She was really Abigail's, but you know how it is when children don't take care of their pets and they become your pets...   And really I don't think my husband wants a duplicate anyway.  One of me is quite enough I'm sure.  Thanks for the morning laugh Karen Anne.  It was the first email I read earlier this morning and it nearly made me spit out coffee.

Dec 29, 2009 01:23 AM
Jane Peters
Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles real estate concierge services

Repeat after me:  "I am a realtor.  This is my job.  I love my job,"  And the formula - "Phone ringing = customers = money."

Dec 29, 2009 06:54 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Sorry to disappoint Jane, but I just can't say that.  A Realtor, I ain't.  A Broker I am.  The formula on the other hand ... and the part about to this IS my job and I LOVE my job.  I got it.  And I'll say it every day.  :)

Dec 29, 2009 07:00 AM