dirt road real estate: Yes You Are Important, But…
- 05/03/26 02:37 PM
Often we have real estate sellers or buyers who are in a hurry rather to list or buy. Here is my most recent example of what I call “Hurry Up, Wait and Hurry-Up Now!”
On April 14 of this year a potential vacant land listing client contacted me about listing a vacant land parcel. My standard of practice is to visit any parcel before I accept the listing. The seller agreed to meet me 4 days later to show me how to get to the property as the seller knew access was an issue. Due to some unexpected issues, the seller could … (10 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Vacant Land Buyers Relying on AI, Family or Friends Can Be Tricky
- 02/23/26 07:48 AM
Listing and selling vacant land, dirt, for the last nearly nine (9) years, I realize many vacant land buyers are clueless when it comes to buying “dirt.” This lack of knowledge can be tricky (even dangerous) and why relying on AI, Family or Friends cannot necessarily be the best purchasing strategy.
In many states when it comes to real estate, this phrase “due diligence” continues to appear. Vacant land Listing Agents will state something similar to this:
Buyer(s) to verify flood zone, lot lines, zoning and cost to connect utilities or any other information pertinent to the buyer.
If a buyer, especially an … (3 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Not All Rural Land Specialists Are the Same
- 01/23/26 07:41 AM
Once again, I was reminded that I am not like many rural land specialists especially when it comes to working with sellers who are considering selling their vacant land parcels. Here is what makes me as well as other agents at Dirt Road Real Estate different.
Difference #1
After having a conversation with a vacant land seller and before I agree to list the real estate property, I undertake these actions:
Download all information from the Assessor’s to confirm ownership, taxes, and maps that show location, dimensions, flood zone, right of way and zoning Print out map and physically drive to the property … (11 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Are You Missing These Pieces in Your Value Proposition
- 01/12/26 06:22 AM
How often do we read about real estate coaches to real estate schools discussing Value Propositions? Then we read the dire warnings if we don’t have one. Of course, these individuals and schools will be more than happy to help you construct one with a fee.
To have clarity, a Value Proposition defines the kind of value a company will create for its customers. (Source; Institute for Strategy an Competitiveness)
First, if we believe value is an emotion, then having emotion infused into this statement does seem to make sense. Yet in reading numerous value propositions, emotion is not present or rarely present.
Second, … (7 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Your Where in Real Estate Is…?
- 01/11/26 05:09 AM
Some may remember the original Alice in Wonderland movie when Alice comes across a tree in the woods and wonders what path she should take. Here she meets the Cheshire Cat who she then asks which way should she go. The Cat responds it really doesn’t matter as Alice doesn’t know where she is going.
For some real estate agents, they are much like Alice. They don’t know where they are truly going.
For business owners, from the micro to the macro knowing the WHERE is the Vision, the vanishing point on the horizon. This vanishing point is different for each individual and … (6 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Small Vacant Land Listings Deserve Equal Respect
- 08/06/25 08:16 AM
As a professional listing agent who truly loves selling dirt (usually smaller vacant land parcels, one to 10 acres), I treat all “dirt” listings with the same respect as I do larger vacant land parcels those 10 acres or more with considerable higher value.
This past week I drove 150 miles to take on the ground real time photographs of 5 lots in two different rural areas about 25 miles apart. Four of the five (5) parcels ranged in acreage 1 to 3 acres. Property number five was 37.45 acres. By personally driving to each parcel I can determine the best access, … (6 comments)
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dirt road real estate: What a Fool Believes!
- 07/30/25 07:53 AM
No this is not an April Fool's joke. This posting is about when a fool, as in me, believes she can do what she did in years gone by.
When I first started in real estate over eight (8) years ago here in Mohave County, AZ with Dirt Road Real Estate, I was eight years younger. I had little difficulty in pounding for sale signs or direction signs into the dirt or rather what often seems like concrete. Well, time does take a toll on one’s body as evidenced by sore arm and shoulder muscles.
NOTE: Out here in the high desert of … (9 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Sometimes Words Come Back to Bite You
- 06/02/25 10:18 AM
Lately I have had “I love Selling Dirt” truly come back to bite me because I have never been so busy. My latest “dirt” sales lead actually came from Active Rain. Over 90% of my real estate sales leads come from referrals and signage. To be forthright, I didn’t ever realize or anticipate the impact of those four (4) words.
The reason I love selling dirt is because listing and selling dirt has far fewer hassles. First, most vacant land purchases are cash. Second, outside of septic being installed, the only other inspection or due diligence action is possibly hiring a surveyor. … (6 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Small Real Estate Brokerages Are Fast
- 05/26/25 07:09 PM
Once upon a time, these authors, Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton, wrote a book in 2000 entitled It’s Not the Big that Eat the Small..It’s the Fast that Eat the Slow. Within these 262 pages, the authors share how fast has become the competitive advantage. I was reminded of this book when I read this title and lead in summary sentence from Real Estate News:
“Where small brokerages have an edge over the giants.”
Any large or giant firm including real estate brokerages cannot historically move quickly because the larger the firm the larger the bureaucracy. Small regional and independent brokerages do not … (6 comments)
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dirt road real estate: A Real Estate Sales Lead or Government Tester?
- 04/21/25 09:27 AM
In real estate due the compliance issues along with recent lawsuits and settlements, there are “government testers” contacting real estate agents to ensure adherence to state and federal laws and regulations. Professional real estate agents must be aware of these government testers while not offending potential real estate sellers or buyers.
This past week I received a text from a potential sales lead (“retired Air Force individual") who was a small business owner of home use products (nutrition, skin care, etc.) allegedly here in Kingman, AZ. This individual stated he is currently renting and is seeking to buy a house in the … (19 comments)
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dirt road real estate: A Newly Discovered Achilles Heel for Sellers
- 04/03/25 12:40 PM
Actions have consequences so it has been said. Some of those consequences are unintended and the results of those unintended consequences are never researched because to do so just may reveal the actual results.
For example, here is one newly discovered Achilles' Heel for those considering selling their homes.
FLOOR PLANS
Sellers may wish to consider not having a floor plan listed on the local MLS. Now a seller may ask why and that is a great question.
The local MLS feeds to other real estate websites such as Zillow, REALTOR.com, etc. These other real estate websites are open to any individual who is connected … (14 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Loyalty Is My Constant Companion
- 03/30/25 11:32 AM
Robert Morse is quoted as saying:
“One never knows how loyalty is born.”
For me, loyalty has always been present. Possibly its origins started in my DNA through my heritage on both sides of my parents.
What I do know is I have always been loyal to my family, to my friends, to my employers, to my faith and to my country.
“Loyalty is my constant companion.”
If one believes in astronomy, one of the first traits for a woman born under the sign of Taurus, the Bull, is being loyal. And those who know me will agree along with the other traits including being quite … (5 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Yee Haw DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE the Name Says It All
- 01/04/25 07:40 AM
People remember business names and logos such as Apple to Nike. In real estate to stand out in the crowd or what I call be the Red Jacket in a Sea of Gray Suits, requires a name that says it all and still differentiates itself from other similar businesses.
Here in Mohave County there are approximately 1,700 licensed real estate agents.
Lucky for me I connected with DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE via its agent Elise Harron in our search for a property here in NW AZ. As someone who undertakes significant research when making a serious decision, the DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE website … (14 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Unexpected Christmas Decorations in Oatman, AZ
- 12/04/24 06:45 AM
Yesterday the DIRT ROAD REAL ESTATE work family, met out on the west side of Oatman, AZ on old Route 66 to participate in an annual Oatman Christmas event. Each Christmas holiday season, individuals and small businesses are encouraged to decorate a tree or bush with Christmas decorations. The registration funds are designated to feed the wild burros (donkeys).
For those not familiar with Oatman, AZ, this old , historic mining town has numerous wild burros, will actually tamed burros, that freely roam the streets and sidewalk. These burros today are the descendants from the original burros the miners brought in the … (16 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Under Contract 6244 W Hwy 68 Golden Valley, AZ
- 11/18/24 10:02 AM
Yesterday, November 17, 2024, this 9.69 acre parcel in Golden Valley with a power pole and permitted septic went under contract. For me this is special as the owner is elderly and wanted to have this property sold so that her children would not have to deal with it.
This vacant land listing was a challenge as over time the wash which in this instance is also a designated EPA flood plain expanded onto this property. However, this issue was fully disclosed along with the access from Highway 68 is no longer possible as the State of AZ closed that access.
With a … (8 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Your Local Real Estate Agent Is The Source of the Source for Lenders
- 11/18/24 07:42 AM
This past weekend, I had a last minute call for a home showing about 4 miles down the road from our home. I explained the new requirement for the Buyer Broker Agreement and the couple agreed. This house in Golden Valley, AZ showed financing to be cash or 1031 exchange. In viewing the online photos I was somewhat confused as to this financing limitation.
Fortunately I was able to arrive about 5 minutes early. Upon viewing the roof and seeing exposed wood on the fascia, I understood the reason for the cash or 1031 exchange.
As the potential buyers arrived, the wife and … (8 comments)
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dirt road real estate: I am Grateful for Our Life Here in NW AZ
- 11/17/24 08:43 AM
Soon we will be celebrating our eighth anniversary of living here in NW AZ. Each day I am filled with gratitude for our life here in Golden Valley, Mohave County, AZ.
First, I am appreciative of the statement “Silence is deafening.” Moving from a 700-home subdivision outside of Valparaiso, IN to our home here in Golden Valley, AZ which by the way is the only site built house in one square mile, we learned the meaning of “Silence is deafening.” Without all the ambient noise from living in a crowded subdivision, the quietness at nighttime is only disturbed by the howl of … (6 comments)
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dirt road real estate: What A Surprise That Brought a Smile and Several Big Hugs
- 04/14/24 11:56 AM
This past weekend our local real estate association, Kingman Golden Valley Association of REALTORS®, had its third annual Street Eats on 66. This event is open to the public with food truck vendors, beer garden, children’s play area and music. All funds collected are distributed to local food banks/charities. So far this event generates over $15,000 annually for local charities.
The current broker and co-founder of Dirt Road Real Estate, Elise Harron called me Friday night and told me she had a special surprise to make sure I would be there on Saturday. As I was volunteering for the third year, I … (18 comments)
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dirt road real estate: People Buy from People they Know and Trust Not Teams
- 04/14/24 10:07 AM
A recent comment by Endre Barath, Jr. on this posting, Remember This Sales Axiom, had me ponder even more about an article I had read that provided 24 reasons why belonging to a mega real estate team was beneficial to real estate agents. One of the most interesting statistics was that over three out of four team members had a positive experience working in a team environment.
I wonder how many property sellers or buyers would share that same feeling not to mention other real estate agents who have worked with mega real estate team?
From my experience and other local real estate … (5 comments)
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dirt road real estate: Remember this Sales Axiom
- 04/10/24 08:16 AM
In business including real estate, salespeople, think real estate agents, share their business cards with prospective sales leads or potential clients. When I was an active executive coach specializing in small businesses, I always asked this question:
Whose business card does your customer, client or sales lead have?
The answer was always “Mine.”
The next question was:
Are there any other names on the card other than the company’s name?
The answer was always “No.”
I just read an article about the 24 reasons to be on a “mega real estate team." For me from my executive coaching experience, my personal experience when selling our home in … (12 comments)
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Often we have real estate sellers or buyers who are in a hurry rather to list or buy. Here is my most recent example of what I call “Hurry Up, Wait and Hurry-Up Now!”
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