real estate: Four Words That Can Change Your Life!
- 01/05/10 12:20 AM
"If Not Now, When?" How many times might these words apply to a situation or incident in your day- to-day life? Thinking of giving up that dastardly cigarette habit? ......"If Not Now, When?" Thinking of looking for a new job? ........"If Not Now, When?" Thinking of calling the Food Bank to volunteer? ........."If Not Now, When?" Thinking of getting a divorce? ........."If Not Now, When?" Thinking of running nude down Yonge Street in January? ........."If Not Now, When?" Thinking of taking a night course? ........."If Not Now, When?" Thinking of spending more time with your kids and less time on the (5 comments)
real estate: Life as a Canadian Realtor in 2010
- 12/19/09 02:20 AM
Over the years, as I was trying to make a business for myself as a Realtor, I had mentors who would advise and guide me when I was losing my way. I owe every one of them a debt of gratitude. Each of them would begin the relationship by asking me if I had a business plan. At first, I poopooed the idea. I didn't appreciate the value of such a document. Then over time, I discovered it was vital, not just as a document, but also as a process. How can I know where I'm going if I have no idea where I've been and how (3 comments)
real estate: Real Estate - Here and There
- 07/29/08 12:57 AM
A few months ago, I reported here that I had two clients who called me asking for advice about their parent's Florida condos. I hooked them up with local Realtors and the news on both counts is sort of good. One condo has been rented and will stay in the family for the time being. The second condo was recently sold. The sale price was half the original asking price. My client reported that her agent "Gail specializes in short sales and he's very busy with that. Gail estimated that the real estate will not improve for another 5 years in (3 comments)
real estate: Wow Factor approach to selling houses
- 01/11/08 09:51 AM
I read a piece in the paper yesterday about luxury homes. They are selling quite well here in Toronto. The builder/developer who was being interviewed mentioned something that I've heard before but only now did it register. How best to measure the desirability of a property? This fellow described a home in terms of how many "wow" factors it had. The house in question had "a movie theatre"! Wow. A "library panelled in walnut"! Wow. A "lavish backyard with fountains and reflecting pools"! Wow. There's three "wows" right there. It made me think of a humble bungalow I had listed last year. It (4 comments)
real estate: Added Value goes unrecognized more often than not
- 10/22/07 12:39 AM
A client called yesterday about a legal issue. I couldn't answer his question and suggested he call his lawyer. He bemoaned the fact that each time he calls, "the clock is ticking". So I called my own lawyer and received a timely (and free) answer to his question. It made me think of the added value a Realtor brings to a transaction. We often (in fact, usually) don't get credit for the fact our time is not a "ticking clock". Our reward is measured only by the ultimate success of a deal, Even then, the deal must close successfully and everyone else (5 comments)
real estate: Necessity of Open Houses
- 08/27/07 11:15 AM
When I first got into real estate over 20 years ago, I used to do open houses to (a) get clients and (b) sell them a house (not necessarily that house). It was as simple as that. In those days, when a potential buyer came through that door, I owned them. If they wanted to buy that house, they HAD to use me as their agent. Those were the rules. That's not the case today. Since the advent of Buyer Agency Agreements, that has all changed. I now ask visitors to my open houses if they are under contract to an agent. (2 comments)