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Writer's block...and random thoughts

I have writer's block. So, I'm just going to throw out there a few random thoughts that have crossed my mind this week instead of trying to write an intelligent blog post.

RANDOM THOUGHTS/MUSINGS/QUESTIONS

1. Why would anyone use AOL? Especially for a work email address? Now that they advertise at the bottom of every email (which is ridiculous by the way) emails come with "trade secrets for amazing burgers." Maybe it's just me, but I don't want a link to the Food Network on my email.

2. Properties that require bank approval (ie. short sales and foreclosures) sometimes reduce the amount of commission offered in the MLS to the selling agent. Not wanting to work for free or drastically reduced commission, I ask if the buyer is willing to pay the commission (or pay the difference between what the bank would pay and 2.5% commission) and ask them to sign a buyer agency agreement to cover that possibility. What would you do?

3. When a client says they want to downsize, what do they mean? As real estate agents, we must be careful to listen to our clients carefully. One client may actually desire a smaller house but can move up in price, another may want a larger house with a smaller price tag. Still another may want a smaller house with a smaller price. Listen.

4. Are you sick of political crap talk yet? I am.

5. How come every time I log onto certain websites, I receive their catalog 2 days later in the mail? I feel like I'm being cyber-stalked.

6. Have you logged onto realtor.com as a consumer might recently? I'm not sure why anyone would use it. It's slow, there are ads going "blinky-blinky" all over the place, listings that have sold are still showing as available, and you can't search by subdivision. And to think of all the money I throw at them every year for the priviledge of placing my listings there. Sheesh.

7. It's so fun to come home when you have a puppy. Who knew?

Okay, not only do I have writer's block but I'm also out of random thoughts. Scary. Anybody have a real estate topic they want to discuss?

Posted by Kelly Sibilsky on 06/04/2008 06:06 PM

Comments (24)

random thoughts, musings, questions, writers block

Originally posted at: lake zurich...and beyond: Writer's block...and random thoughts

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24 Comments on Writer's block...and random thoughts

JUN

2008

Kelly, I wouldn't use AOL because of the ads either. Most buyers don't want to make up commission differences. They figure that is your problem. On downsizing ask the specific questions as there are variations. I actually enjoy watching political talking heads as a diversion, but it does go on and on. I logged on to a web site yesterday and they did instant chat with me just for viewing the web site. It was creepy. Realtor.com is getting worse over time. Who cannot laugh with a puppy licking your face? It doesn't get any better than that. Pretty good for writer's block Kelly. Keep asking those questions. Do open houses work? Not for the thousandth time. Take care.

I'm sick of political crap talk. I can relate to a case of writers block, I hope this cures yours.

Puppies! Puppies! I love my political COMEDY ONLY -- Stewart and Colbert for me! Puppies! No AOL - too much noise and why advertise for them? Advertise MY website in my email. Fuzzy little Puppies! Realtor.com is killing themselves. Puppies greetings have a way of turning the day into a good thing.

Was that random enough for you, Kelly, my friend? :)

Great random thoughts Kelly! I too am sick of the political talk but it's just beginning! I'm not a big fan of realtor.com because it seems that people get outdated info. I need to check it out and see what my buyers are complaining about. Enjoy the puppy though!

Political talk...we only have 5 more months...yuk. I find most buyers won't pay the additional commission. Puppies can make you smile...it doesn't matter what kind of day you have.

New subject...so why can banks operate under a different set of rules when selling foreclosures etc...

and what has happened to professional courtesy? There are agents in my area that lack professionalism and common courtesy. Ok done.

Dave

Hi Kelly. Fun post.

What kind of puppy??? Dogs (and children) are pretty neat.

Ken

GARY: I know that's how most buyers feel so I hope I don't scare my buyers away! Even as an Accredited Buyers Representative, I still don't require buyer's agency agreements under normal circumstances, although I know many agents who do...very successfully...and buyers seem more than willing to sign them. I work very hard for my buyers but I do want to get paid and foreclosures are a pain in the ***. So this is a tough one for me. I'm struggling with it. As for open houses...they don't seem to work for me!

GREG: I hope so, too. As for the political stuff, well, I guess we just have to suffer through it!

ELAINE: Perfectly random! :)

LANITA: I will, thanks!

DAVE: I don't understand why banks get to make their own rules, because they need us to sell the home and it seems to me that advertising to pay you one thing and then reducing it after the offer is accepted is just dirty pool. It doesn't happen often, but often enough that I feel I should protect myself. So should I just take a chance and hope it doesn't happen? Ugh. What other profession has to deal with this? As for professional courtesy...I don't know what's going on...agents not returning calls or emails...we must work together to make deals happen!

KEN: I have a shichon. She's absolutely adorable and the sweetest puppy you could ever hope for! Kids are pretty neat, too, but now that mine are 18 and 15, they don't get too excited when I come home! LOL.

I love puppies and babies....but then they become dogs and teenagers who need to go to summer school right when the family is supposed to be leaving for summer vacation. I've got writer's block too and a week at the beach might help to cure it...

Wonderful normal post for most of us. Glad you are willing to share random thoughts as that is what I have in my brain most of the time. Get used to it. IN a lot of years for yoiu you will know what I am talking about.

Great minds randomly think alike ;-)

I'm so with you on the aol email address. Aol in general....never got it!

Stayed away from political crap hype of any kind so far. Will probably engage soon...(I just watched Top Gun this past weekend so "engage" is on the forefront of my mind)

Graduating my youngest from high school, just graduated my oldest from college and not looking for puppies anytime soon. They are stinkin' cute though!

Now for the important part....did your block move? LOL!

Ok, so you said some day far far away you might move...if you move will you move by me? Will you move next door to me so I can listen to your silly talk when you are brain dead? You crack me up! :) as for me...I am too so ttttttiiiiiiiiirrrrrreeeeddddd of the political crap....uck!

JUN

2008

KELLY - You may become the Larry King of AR if you make this a regular column. He does something similar in USA Today. I cannot understand why anyone would use an AOL address for business. I actually did a post on that a while back, encouraging people to use their own domain name instead of the company brand.

LISA: Summer school? That's a bummer! I'd love a vacation but I'm buying myself some roof repairs instead. Yuk.

L. WAYNE: Hopefully I don't have early-onset random thought-itis!

COLLEEN: Block hasn't moved yet. Stay tuned! :)

SHANNON: Sure, Naples sounds lovely! And I'd already have one friend. :)

ADAM: I just got an email from another agent. It made me hungry.

Kelly: 7)A puppy! Yea!!!!! (I'm starting at the bottom and working up). 6)I only log to Realtor.com for the enhancement of my listings. That's it. Hate it otherwise. I hate that it can't remember me no matter how many times I click REMEMBER ME. 5)No idea about the website/catalog connection. 4)YES!!! 3)Even clients that say they want to downsize in the size of their home, may have a hard time doing so. Listen as they tour homes. 2) I tell my clients I won't accept less than 2.5%. If it's worse than that, they know they have to make up the difference. 1)I left AOL years ago...probably more than 10. I really don't know why people stick with them. Familiarity I guess.

Kelly, I should suffer writers block like you, lol...I thought that was a great post! I'm in the makeover2takeover challenge and haven't written ONE word for this weeks challenge....my brain is locked for some reason.

Anyway, I get so tired of Realtor.com when I search as a consumer...waste of time! I'm also so sick of politics! Yes, it's great coming home to a puppy!!! Great post...keep getting writers block. Maybe you'll rub off on me by tomorrow, lol.

JUN

2008

CHRIS ANN: It never remembers me either! And even on the agent side, you have to find your way through all your listings...closed or not...to find them for reporting purposes. It's very cumbersome in that way. Can't they move the closed into a seperate folder? As for aol, if they want free, they should get a gmail account!

ELIZABETH: Uh oh. You better get writing! :)

Oh, please make this a regular column! What a fun insight into your week.

Kelly - here's something that's been on my mind but have not put it in a blog. I recently read a blurb in a magazine (sorry, can't remember which magazine) that said that if you justify eating chocolate as a way to up your calcium intake, you'll have to rethink that strategy. Apparently, there is some ingredient in chocolate that blocks the body's absorption of the calcium contained therein. Not fair!