kc: Why Isn't Real Estate FUN?
- 11/06/13 03:30 AM
Do you love your work? Do you think real estate is fun? (More importantly, do YOUR CLIENTS think real estate is fun??) My observation is that there is something intriguing about our real estate world that the general public is drawn to (why else would they make so many reality shows about it?) The interest is there and I wonder if we are "living up to the hype" when we work with our Buyers and Sellers. My question is this: Do you think there is a place for FUN in real estate? I'm sure everyone will say something like "sure, ya … (6 comments)
kc: White Tail Pond Market Report : Liberty MO Houses Sold and Active 2012
- 11/26/12 12:12 AM
Dear White Tail Pond residents (and other interested people in the Liberty, MO area!) I want to share my CUSTOM report of real estate activity in White Tail Pond (as well as Liberty), so you’ll know what has been happening around you this year. HOW’S MY NEIGHBORHOOD? White Tail Pond is a very desirable area in Liberty, as proven by the low 71 average days on market for the homes sold this year. Five of the solds are brand new builds, and 3 sold in under a month. The average price of a home in White Tail Pond is $182,340 (up … (0 comments)
kc: Funny Friday: A Shockingly ELECTRIC Shower!
- 11/01/12 11:40 PM
I saw this in a basement here in Kansas City earlier this week and had to share it! It's gotten quite a bit of conversation over on my Facebook Fan Page so I wanted to share it with everyone else. (The funny thing is that there is soap there, so someone has used it recently and the floor drain was a good 15 feet away! I have a feeling this is going to have trouble passing code....)
… (4 comments)
kc: Build the PERFECT Client
- 09/23/12 02:22 AM
Working with buyers and sellers is a lot like building a championship sports team... You've got to surround yourself with greatness for the team to succeed (OK, pretend that you don't know that I'm from Kansas City, home of the Chiefs and Royals who can't seem to put a team together these last few years. We love ya guys, but come on!! Help a fan out!!) Anyway, I'm curious how agents look at potential clients to join our (my) sphere. I'm making a more focused effort to better evaluate the caliber of client that is introduced to me.
I've found … (1 comments)
kc: Are You Writing Canned Responses?
- 08/28/12 07:25 AM
Did you know that you can save some key strokes and use a Gmail "canned response" when prospecting? Okay, okay, I know that personal relationships are what we are all doing here, but what about the leads that RE/MAX sends me from the website? I basically say the same things to them and found a way to save some of the typing. (Once they reply and we can chat in person, away goes the canned stuff!) First, let me say that Google Labs is great. If you're a Gmail user and have never looked around there, do it. That's where you'll … (2 comments)
kc: Is "Highest and Best" a Scam?
- 08/22/12 12:45 AM
"Mr/Mrs Buyer, there are multiple offers on this property and the Seller has asked for our highest and best offer." More often than not, my Buyers in this situation automatically think that the Seller is trying to pull something over on them. "Jay, do they REALLY have other offers or are they just trying to jack our price up?"
Well, let's think about it for a moment. A few things can happen here: 1) A greedy Seller gets two GOOD offers, rejects them both for "highest and best" and they BOTH walk away. uh oh, not good. 2) A … (9 comments)
kc: Kansas City Custom-built home for sale with in-ground swimming pool!
- 07/16/12 02:27 AM
This one is a KEEPER! Beautiful from top to bottom and tons of great features, like the AUTO RELEASE of the main entry's chandelier... flip a switch and it lowers down for easy cleaning! Don't like being without power during a storm? This house has a generator which automatically turns on of the home loses power! No more worries and waiting for the power company to get things back on. And the pool out back has an auto cleaning robot, trolling around to clean while you do other things. The fenced back yard is great for dogs or kids and the … (0 comments)
kc: Now THIS is how you decorate a cute duplex for sale in Kansas City!
- 06/04/12 12:36 AM
This is a great home that has that "feeling" when you walk into it. This one-owner home made upgrades and had some voice with the builder when it was constructed in 2006. Little extras like the added counter and cabinet space in the kitchen, upgraded light fixtures and cool gray paint. Then accenting this great open floorplan are the furnishings and accessories! You feel like you are in a show-room and can easily picture yourself living here. The fenced back yard is great for kids and pets, along with the upgraded concrete patio on the outside backyard level! The front porch … (2 comments)
kc: Momentous Memorial Memories. (Special Thank You!)
- 05/26/12 11:13 PM
In the category of "Stuff Bigger Than Real Estate" comes this weekend's celebration of the veterans and their awesome sacrifices for our country. (Awesome is often overused, but I think that it's perfect for this, considering what these brave soldiers have gone through for fellow Americans that they have never met). I am proud of my Uncle who served the Army as Lieutenant Colonel and has told me many stories that amaze me (watching an enemy soldier gunned down before he is able to deliver a backpack full of explosives to his platoon...he saw this as he walked to the showers). … (2 comments)
kc: Home for Sale in Liberty, MO - One-level living! Finished Basement! Kansas City Metro Area!
- 04/15/12 06:30 AM
WOW! You'll think you won the LOTTERY with this incredibly built home! Owners babied this construction! Lots of upgrades! Open floor plan; one-level living TRUE RANCH keeps master bed/living/laundry all on main floor. HUGE finished basement! Fenced yard. Walk to Liberty schools! Great neighborhood! Upgraded kitchen in '07 w/ double oven & more! Less than 30 minutes to downtown Kansas City! Come see this one!
CALL 816-785-4223 to schedule an appointment to see it IN PERSON and ask about how you can own for only a HALF PERCENT down!
… (0 comments)
kc: Helping Springtime SPRING!
- 03/15/12 01:55 AM
After a non-impressive winter here in the heartland of Kansas City, spring is hitting us FULL FORCE right now! Here are a few thoughts to put some SPRING in the step: 1) Revisit those listings who had the winter bluesOK, people are out rubbing their eyes and looking at houses again. Let's make sure our listings are in the front of their mind! Open houses will have great traffic as our buyers are out looking for something to do (like see that GREAT house we have!) 2) Get people in the doorEver thought of a nice spring luncheon at your listing? … (1 comments)
kc: Home Selling INDUCTION. BREATHE DEEP and SELL with these tips!
- 02/15/12 02:42 AM
OK, you guys know I have a baby boy due any minute now so I have babies on the brain. So let's tie that into real estate and see what happens! (You can see how Babies and Buyers are similar by clicking HERE it's a funny read). So your listing is just sitting there. What can we do it INDUCE a sale? Typical advertising isn't working. What else can we do? BREATHE.... Deep breath and here we go!....
1) Tighten up staging. If it's been a few months there may be some staging items that have been changed or not maintainted (because … (1 comments)
kc: BABIES vs BUYERS
- 01/30/12 04:08 AM
It's amazing how your personal life mirrors your work! We are expecting our first baby boy in a couple weeks, and I was thinking how much this "baby process" is like the "buyer process." (OK, go with me here...) BABIES vs BUYERSBefore you come up with that comment (cry-baby buyers!) there is actually much more! -- Both are exciting processes with a great reward at the end! -- Both require lots of supportive people to increase success and enjoyment! -- Both results can be expensive, but are TOTALLY worth it! DUE DATEHopefully the Buyer will meet their baby house sooner than … (3 comments)
kc: "Mr. Seller, You Have a Big Butt."
- 01/16/12 05:10 AM
I was at a listing appointment the other day and Mrs. Seller tells me that I will be the 3rd agent to "try to sell their house." In this seller's mind (and MANY other sellers out there) it's the poor agent's fault that their house isn't selling. I feel bad for these past two agents, since this home was initially priced $25,000 OVER market value. (the good news is that they have dropped the price $10K with each new agent, so my odds are good that they will be at market value FINALLY after over 6 months on the market).
… (6 comments)
kc: Do you meet your appraiser? What are your thoughts?
- 01/09/12 03:28 AM
The eternal question: to meet or NOT to meet the appraiser. What is your process and expection (I'd love to hear from all you APPRAISERS out there too!)
CAMP A: "LEAVE THEM ALONE!"This group often says "let them do their job." Appraisers have their OWN comps, often more in-depth than agents can pull because they have access to the FSBO homes. All you crazy Realtors try to "sell the house" to the appraiser, which just gets on their nerves. Get out of their way and let them do their assessment.
CAMP B: "YOU MUST MEET THEM!"This group feels it … (2 comments)
kc: 2012: Resolve to NOT Make a Resolution Because...
- 01/02/12 03:43 AM
Well, hello there Mr. New Year! We have been waiting for you for some time now, ready to usher us into a bright new future! But here's the thing: I'm pretty tired of RESOLVING to do stuff for you. Resolving just isn't cutting it for me anymore. Doesn't that just sound too WIMPY to you? I RESOLVE to take the trash out (when I'm done watching the game and if I happen to remember to do it) but where is the COMMITMENT in that?? How about this Mr. New Year: I'm making a couple of "DO-OR-DIE, LIFE-DEPENDS-ON-IT, NON-NEGOTIABLE PROMISES" for 2012. … (2 comments)
kc: 11/11/11 The Race is OVER Today....
- 11/11/11 01:53 AM
I can't believe I wrote a blog back on 1/11/11 setting up the goals for the "race of one" nearly 10 months ago. (Check it out HERE before you read on, and this will make so much more sense!) I challenged myself (and hopefully YOUR one-self) to run a 10-month race competing with all of the other "yous" that are constantly competing to win. So how did "the race" turn out? Let me take a candid look back and see what place I will take on the podium: Mr. Afraid-of-Cold-CallingThis guy has lots of tricks to keep ahead of me, but … (3 comments)
kc: FREE Weekend Fun in Liberty, MO for Fall Fest 2011!
- 09/25/11 03:36 AM
One of Kansas City's best traditions celebrates 35 years this weekend! Crafts, games, carnival, food vendors and MORE! If you've never been, it's worth your time to come hang out with the Liberty natives, see old friends and make some new ones. This year, I'm working the Daisy Girl Scout booth with my daughters, so come by for some lemonade! It's another reason Liberty, MO was ranked in the top 10 Best Family Towns in the USA! Hope to see you this weekend!
FOR MORE INFO: http://libertyfallfest.com/ … (1 comments)
kc: School is in for the kids, but why not for us too?
- 09/02/11 01:19 AM
As my little girls climbed on the bus to start another school year this week, I was thinking out MY need to keep my own education going. Question: What are you doing TODAY to be smarter than you were yesterday? I ran out and picked up Andy Stanley's book, "Visioneering" and Martin Lindstom's audio book, "Buy-ology" and will start download that info to may brain this weekend. (Both are off to great starts!) Further, it's time to check the continuing education classes offered by the board and see what I can add to my brain from their great offerings. I'm making … (5 comments)
kc: Is Direct Mail more powerful than Social Media?
- 09/01/11 03:06 AM
Tweet me. Friend me. Fan me. Yeah, I get that. I'm the first to hop on and try Google+ and check in on Foursquare. Social media is a game changer for sure. But have we forgotten about it's older (and kinda uglier) big sister: Direct Mail?? Yes, this is the epic battle: In this corner, the New Kid, young and nimble, loved by all, give it up for SOCIAL MEDIA! And his challenger, former champion and come-back kid, Mr I-Still-Am-Worthwhile DIRECT MAIL! Everyone is quick to praise how you can target exact people with your Facebook ads, but direct mail just … (7 comments)
Author Bio: Jay O'Brien specializes in Real Estate in the Kansas City metro area, including the Northland of Kansas City : Liberty : Gladstone : North Kansas City : and Kansas City. Jay is licensed in both Missouri and Kansas and has helped clients in Overland Park, Leavenworth, Olathe, Smithville and many other areas in the metro. Jay uses technology in new and interesting ways to market listings, as well as helping buyers to find their perfect homes. Want to make Real Estate fun? Give Jay a call and see if he can EARN your business. 816-774-1357.
Do you love your work? Do you think real estate is fun? (More importantly, do YOUR CLIENTS think real estate is fun??)
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