Ruth's Place

2008-11-06T07:45:00.000-08:00

Foreclosures everywhere! Banks are a driving force in our real estate market right now. As any other seller, the banks which own property desire to net the highest amount possible on their properties. They are in the unique position of owning properties which they have not seen, and must rely on the eyes of the agents who list them or appraisers to give them a true representation

Appraisers who in some instances have given the banks inflated views of value in the past, are relied upon to give the current value of the home. In many instances this is a fluid number which is dropping daily. The rate of price reduction, and the timing of the presentation of the offer are both important for the buyer and seller of the repossessed property. In most cases, the longer a property remains on the market, the more it deteriorates in condition and saleability. Factor in the number of properties available for the few buyers in the market, and the probable sales price drops even further.

In representing the banks who own the properties, it is important the the properties are maintained consistantly to retain the value in the property. It is also important that the listing agent make the process as worry free as possible for the selling agent. With so few buyers in the market at the present time, it is important that the process of the purchase be handled as smoothly as possible, to attract the selling agents and the buyers. Currently many of the foreclosed properties do not even have pictures available in the MLS. As the listing agent, it is the brokers' responsiblity to present the properties in their best light, this includes pictures, discriptions and advertising through web sites and more traditional ways.

When the agent represents the buyer, he must present each offer to the listing agents in a timely manner and must respect the requests for specific forms and addendums. It takes a team of agents, loan officers, title company representatives and bank officers (and the buyers, too!) to get a property "off the books". It can be very rewarding to see these properties sold.

2007-11-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

How to Choose Your Agent

We are all aware that the real estate market has turned upside down, and it is what is called a “buyer’s market”. It is a great time to buy. But, what do you do if you want or need to sell in today’s market? How do you choose the best real estate professional to market your home? What can you expect for the money you are paying your listing agent? And, what do you do if you are not getting the service you should be getting from your agent?

The days of having your buddy who just got his or her license come over, list your home and collect his check are over. The inexperienced agent often has no idea how to actually market and present a home to get it sold. If you are planning on hiring your friend who is new to the business, check out the support system he or she has behind him. A lot of agents who started in the business during the times of instant sales and multiple offers do not have any systems set up to actually market your home. Some do not even have access to the most basic of marketing tools, MLS. In sales, the enthusiasm of the new agent can bring a lot of interest to a property, but there must also be a system in place to expose the property to as many potential buyers as possible. Does your friend have a system in place and support from a broker who is involved? Does he have the financial ability to pay for advertising for up to eight to ten months? Does he have the ability to negotiate in your behalf? Don’t be afraid to ask your licensed “friend” the hard questions you will be asking the rest of the agents you may interview (even if he is the only one you actually interview!). Your listing agent gets a large percentage of the money from the sale. Even a “friend” should earn it.

The agent who is the “neighborhood expert’ may or may not be. The postcards you get in the mail from the same agent over and over again at least show some systems are in place to contact people. But, any one can say they know your area. Are you getting post cards from an agent who tells you HE or SHE has sold a home? Include these agents in your list of possible agents to interview. Do not assume that the mass of mailings puts these agents above others available. However, if there is one agent who works your neighborhood faithfully and has sold homes in your area, he or she may have potential buyers waiting for a new home to come on the market. He should definitely be included in the interview process, and strongly considered for hiring.

So, how do you choose? First of all, make a list of all the agents you may want to consider for an interview. Start with the agent who was your selling agent when you bought the home. He knows the house, and knows you. If you were satisfied with his skills as a selling agent, he probably can transfer the skills to become your listing agent. Do not assume this though. He or she will be interviewed just like the others. Include that “neighborhood” expert, and your friend if you would like. Ask your co-workers or your neighbors who they would recommend. Some companies offer better services to their agents than others. Find the best and interview the best agent named by friends and neighbors from that company. Do not ask how much they charge, nor interview based on the commission charged. You want the best fit for you, not necessarily the cheapest commission. Keep the list to around four or five agents. Try to schedule the interviews over a two day period. Leave about 3 hours between interview times. This will allow you to write your notes between visits.

Okay, so how do you interview these agents? First of all, be aware that selling a house is a team effort between the seller and the agent. The sellers’ responsibility is to make the house available for showings and to have it clean and in its best presentation condition for those showings. The agent and broker’s job is to market the house, pay for all advertising, and present all offers. It is your house and it is your decision to sell or not to sell. But, the agent and the brokerage do have an interest in getting the job done for you. They will be investing their money into the marketing of the house.

The interview process may begin before you meet with the agent. Most will ask the basic questions about the house over the phone so they can prepare a “CMA” (comparative market analysis). This will tell them, and you, about what the house should be listed at, price wise. Some agents may even bring over a “pre-listing” packet with information about them and their companies.

Write out the questions you want to ask the agents, but more important than the questions asked is some of the attributes you may want to be looking for. Do you “trust” this agent? Is he or she telling you the truth, or what you want to hear? Is the agent “enthusiastic” about the prospect of selling your house? Can he “communicate” with you in a manner you can understand? Does he seem truly “interested” in what you have to say? Is he or she ‘strong” enough to discuss the pricing of your home? Does he or she seem “knowledgeable” about the current market? Do you think this person has your best interests in mind?

Following are some of the questions you may want to ask:
1. How long have you sold real estate?
2. How many companies have you worked for?
3. What do you think we can sell this house for?
4. How long do you think it will take?
5. What is your marketing plan for your listings?
6. How are you doing in this “down” market?
7. What is my bottom line?
8. What if it does not sell?
9. How long for the listing?
10. What if I decide not to sell, or am not happy with what is happening?
11. Will you negotiate your commission now?
12. Will you negotiate your commission if I will not list without it?
13. Will you negotiate your commission if we have to have it negotiated to get the deal done?
14. Who handles your business when you are out of town?
15. How will I be notified prior to showings?
16. What do you think will happen over all in the real estate market?
17. When would we reduce the price?
18. Will you have an “open house”?
19. Do you see anything that needs to be done before we put the house on the market?
20. Is there some thing I can do which will make this sell faster?
21. Did the agent ask for the listing?

You can add more or take away some of these questions. You may be surprised at some of the top agents’ answers. A good agent is not going to list the property in today’s market if you are wanting more than the market is showing the house is worth. He knows that both you and he will be wasting time and money. If the agent is not strong enough to answer this concern, chances are he or she will not be strong enough to negotiate with the agent who represents the buyer. The same can be said about the agent’s commission. If the agent is anxious to reduce his commission now, what will happen if you need a thousand or two to get the deal done? Also, he may be negotiating away one of the things you need to offer to the selling agent to get the property actually shown. Most experienced agents know that “open houses” do not sell the house very often. Most of the time, they are held as a means to signal to the seller that something is being done.

Surprisingly, you do not necessarily want to list with the agent who acts as if “you are the boss” and takes the listing at whatever terms you demand. They should be listening to you and advising you. And, they should not be afraid to ask for the listing. Not many will, but some will. You do not have to list at that time, but he who asks will be more likely to be able to ask for the contract from a buyer.

The stable agent who has years of experience and has been with only a few companies knows the market and knows how to handle almost any problem which may come up. The newer agent may be more enthusiastic. Avoid the “company hopper”. This may be a sign that the agent can not get along with other agents or with the broker (ethics?).
Many of today’s sellers are listing with the “highest bidder”. It is a big mistake since the time the property is new on the market is the most likely time to find a buyer. Reducing the price is not near as effective as putting it out initially at a saleable price. Pricing high and reducing the price to bring in the buyer does not seem to be working in this transition time. The properties which are selling are coming out listed at lower than the comparables. And, they are selling closer to the list price than those on the market for longer periods. Even the most experienced agent does not know what will happen with today’s market. You do want one who seems to be able to stay on top of the trends in your market.
The marketing plan is not as important as the fact that there is one. You are going to want to compare each agent’s plans and use this to help determine who you want to hire. Get someone you can call anytime. And someone you can “fire” if you are not happy. As listing agreements are terms of employment, if the broker is not marketing to your satisfaction, the agreement can be terminated. Good Luck…and stay calm.

2007-03-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

The activity in the market has not picked up as it should have by now. This leads me to believe that most sellers are going to have to reduce their prices to pre-2005 levels to get a sale. If some commodity will not sell at its asking price, the only way to get the commodity "off the shelf" is to reduce the price. When a new property comes on the market, if it is overpriced, it will just "stay"---and stay and stay and stay. Even reducing the price later is not as effective as being priced correctly in the first place. Most agents and sellers have a very difficult time pricing the property in this market.

Try this----Go back to when you bought the property and then figure a ballpark increase of 7 per cent per year. Does this give you the price the property should be at now? I am going to do a little research to see if this does not give a good estimate as to the real value of the property. I will let you know. Ruth

2006-08-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Marketing and selling are two different things. Marketing is the calculated and planned campaign to bring buyers to the property. Selling is showing the buyer why the property is best for him. Marketing in the sellers' market we have had in the last few years has been non-existent. Now is the time to learn how to market a house.

There are several methods you can use to garner interest in a property without spending a lot of money. The first thing you should do is "tell the neighbors". Either walk the neighborhood, or mail post cards, or get on the phone to let the neighbors know the house is on the market. A lot of time the neighbors know people who are interested in buying in that neighborhood. They also may know a lot about the house, do know about the schools, distances to services and the values of living in that location. They can "talk up" the house to friends, but they do need to know it is available for sale. Every once in a while, one of the neighbors will actually buy the house as either a move for themselves or as an investment.

Secondly, make sure all the agents who have listings in the same general price range and the same general location either get a personal call from you, a brochure on their desk or a personal invitation to the brokers open house. You want to make sure that they can get in to show the house at any time. Make sure they know you would appreciate any feed back they have to offer. Ask if any of them are interested in a neighborhood open house weekend with mutual advertisement.

Third, attack the internet. In every location you can find, add the information about your listing. Set up its own web page. Use lots of pictures. Make sure your listing is "enhanced" in Realtor.com and is featured on your own web page. Publish cards and flyers with the web page addresses on them so everyone knows where to find out more information about your listing.

Next, investigate the costs and advantages of print advertising. Local and small papers surprisingly sometimes produce more calls than the big metropolitan papers. Look at advertising outside of the area both on internet sites and print media.

You should develop a plan and a check list for each listing, so everyone has the exposure they may need to get the property sold.

2006-07-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

Business has slowed considerably, but it is still possible to sell a well priced property. I am in the beginnings of a new marketing plan which includes a web page for the address of each one of my listings. If you discover this page and would like further information, please give me a call. Get your own web page for your property by listing your house in Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Hillsboro Beach, or Lauderdale-By-The-Sea with ME!!!

2006-06-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

When you have your property for sale, it is always painful to think about reducing your asking price. It feels like you are deliberately taking money out of your own pocket.
This decision is usually accompanied by doubts about whether it is the right thing to do.
If you are not getting many showings, or a decent number of showings but no offers, you wonder if your real estate agent is not doing his or her job. Or you may wonder if the economy or interest rates are affecting the market.
Most sellers like to look elsewhere for the solution rather than seriously consider a price reduction. A review of the following factors should help you decide whether or not to consider reducing the asking price:
Showings. If you are not getting many showings, one or more factors may be involved. The local economy may be slow, adversely affecting all real estate currently for sale. Your particular price range may not be moving as well as others. Your particular location may not attract as many buyers as areas that traditionallly have greater interest. Your home may be overpriced when compared to similar houses now on the market.
Offers. You may be experiencing many showings, but no offers. The problem lies in one, two or three areas. These are price, condition and location.
If your property is located in a terrific area and has no major design or condition defects, your asking price is too high. If your area cannot sustain your asking price, you must reduce your price to bring it in line with the location.
If there is a major design flaw or the home requires improvement in its condition or decor, you can either spend money correcting the problem or reduce your price to encourage the buyer to make corrections at his or her expense.
Realtor efforts. If your Realtor has made a reasonable effort to attract potential buyers to see your home, the next move is up to you. Many times homeowners blame a lack of showings and or offers on the Realtor. Sometimes this may be justified. It is also important for the homeowner to provide a property that is attractive and reasonably priced.

The above is copy of an article from the KC Star from September of 1991. Still works for me today. Ruth

2006-05-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have started a new thing with my listings. I am assigning them their very own web page. Please check out www.129NW29place.com for the information on one of my listings. I also have access to the mls through my web page which is at www.RuthArnold.com. Happy Holiday. Ruth

2006-05-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

First-time Buyer Information

You are about to begin one of the most exciting things you will ever do in your life---you are about to buy your first house! You may have some things to accomplish before you even begin to look, but there are some basic facts you need to know about the process itself.

If you have never considered your financial situation, buying your first house will force you to face any problems. Your credit should be good. You should have little credit card debt, and a minimum of open credit accounts. It is optimum for you to have at least five per cent of your anticipated sales price saved for closing costs. If you have not saved, and still want to consider buying, look into the 401K withdrawal program, or talk to your parents or grandparents about a “gift” to help you buy. Some states offer “first time buyer” loans which help with the down payment. It is not too early to talk to a loan officer. Most pre-qualifying letters are done without charge. A loan officer will also let you know if you need to straighten up anything on your credit. You will be given a letter stating your maximum loan amount, and that, based on the current information, you qualify for the loan. Once you have qualified for the loan, don’t change jobs, buy any item on credit which would change the current situation, or miss any payments. A promotion is OK, but don’t change companies, or especially don’t change fields. If you need a new car, wait. Changes can eliminate you from buying for several months. Your loan officer will advise you as to what options may be best for you in your particular situation.

For most people, a house is their most expensive investment. It is also sometimes a status symbol, sometimes a vacation location, and sometimes a “money pit”. But, in almost all instances it is a home---a place to raise your children, or to have family dinners, a place of warmth and safety. Your first consideration about the home you plan to buy is its location. Sometimes, this, by necessity, must be in a limited area (a specific school district, or so many miles from a job). Sometimes, you know the specific neighborhood you are interested in. Sometimes the price you can afford dictates the location. If a specific location is not necessary, for family or job, you need to think about the type of home you want and where those homes may be currently located. (If you have always loved log homes, and think it would be nice to have one, begin thinking about the hills outside of town.) Take into consideration the widest of locations possible for your family goals.

Now, even before you contact a Realtor, is a good time to sit down and write your “need” and your “want” list. If you have 3 kids under 5, you may “need” at least 3 bedrooms, and “want” five. You may need 2 bathrooms and want a fireplace. Try to keep within the range of what you may want to pay for. Many of us “want” a house directly on the beach, but realistically we cannot afford it. Put things on your list you think may be available in your price range. Later, after you have looked at some of the houses available in your price range, you may need to adjust the wants and needs to fit into the price and location, but at least you are doing it with the knowledge of what your goals were to begin with. This also makes it easier to compare two houses with very similar features. If you like both about equally, these early lists can set you back on the right path towards the best house for YOU.

Many first-time buyers, or people who have been out of the market for quite a while, do not understand how the process of working with an agent to find a home works. Your agent may or may not represent you. In most states now, the agent will be representing you. If he or she is not, they will be telling you that fairly early in the process. In Florida, the agent is assumed to be a “transactional” agent. The buyer and the seller are both represented with a limited agency. The agent cannot reveal confidential information from either side to the other. Pertinent information concerning condition of the house, or even comparative sales information can or even must be shared with the buyer, but the agent cannot tell you the sellers’ bottom dollar, nor can he tell the seller the maximum you might pay.

When you do contact an agent about buying a home, you should find someone you would trust to give you good advice. You will want a Realtor (an agent who must abide by the Realtor Code of Ethics) who will listen to what you want. You will also want an agent who can offer you options, if what you want is not available. Everyone in Florida wants a house by the beach for under $50,000, but they are only available via time machine. You may not be aware of what is available at what price. If you have only so much to spend, you need to know what you can buy where. Your agent should inform you of the choices you have, without pressing his or her own preferences upon you. It may be best for some people to buy location first, but others need the larger house and can buy in what may be considered a poorer location. Choices need to be offered, and your agent should be knowledgeable about all the steps necessary to make this a smooth process.

Choose only one agent. In today’s world, the listings you may be getting on the Internet are on the MLS. This means the “listing” agent has made them available for the “selling” agent to show and sell. Your agent can show you any of the properties listed on the MLS. Sometimes the agent has been in the house and can tell you about the inside. In today’s sellers’ market, the best ones do not stay on the market long, so chances are your agent has not seen in it either. When you choose only one agent to work with, that agent is more likely to work hard to find you the perfect property. If you go from agent to agent, none of the agents will work their hardest, because they do not know if they will get paid for any of it. The commissions are split between the listing company and the selling company, and then your agent will only get part of that. Even the 100% companies take part of the agent’s commissions (or charge for the name, etc.). It’s a hard job to find the right house, help negotiate the best deal, follow through with all terms of the contract including reports and inspections, and to keep everyone happy about the process. The key is to find an agent who can make all that seem easy and possible for YOU. Since the commissions are generally part of the sales price and paid out of the seller’s side of the transaction, the buyer will have no commission due to the agent or the company. Most companies do charge a transaction fee (probably under $500) against the buyers’ side. This is not paid until you are paying for the property at closing of escrow.

Whether you have a lawyer or not; who pays for title insurance; whether a contract is written with the initial offer; when earnest monies are paid; who goes to present the offer---all this and more varies from state to state, and area to area. One thing doesn’t vary. You will be better off with a Realtor you can trust. A first-time buyer is sometimes the hardest to work with, because they need to know so much, but most of us Realtors think they are the most fun to work with, too. Find someone you can trust, who knows how to listen to you. Get your e-mail lists and then---when you are ready--- call them to go see in the ones you might be interested in. Don’t be afraid to ask “silly” questions. And have fun and ENJOY!

If you are looking to buy in South Florida, I would love to work with you personally. If you are shopping in another state, or in the north or western parts of Florida please fill in the buyer information I have on the web page, and I will have a good agent contact you. Feel free to e-mail me with any of your questions.

CHOICES

There are several things affecting the value of a house. “Location, location and location” is only one of those. Price and condition are also factors. Two identical houses both of the same age and in the same neighborhood could be priced the same but if one has condition issues it will sell for less. Two houses in the same neighborhood, both with the same features, and both in great condition, the lowest priced one will sell faster. It is the better VALUE. Two houses exactly alike, both in great condition, in the same neighborhood, but one is on a corner lot (location in the smallest choice), the corner lot house will sell faster and possibly at a higher price. You, as a buyer, need to weigh the factors. Can you fix up the one with condition problems for less than the difference in price? Do you want to? Is it worth $5000 extra to be nearer the park? Can I live without the extra bathroom if I get the condition, location and price I want?

When we consider the location factor, we are choosing to consider one thing we cannot change. We cannot fly the house and the lot to another location. Chances are the Interstate in the back yard is not going to close down and become a green park. Neighborhoods can change, however. Look for signs that the neighborhood is coming up (people out working on houses, several houses looking like they have just been redone, new sidewalks). And look for signs the neighborhood is going down (lots of houses needing work, streets not maintained, bars on the windows). Some of the best buys can be in neighborhoods going “up”. Under location considerations are also lot size and potential changes. The lot a house sits on is pretty well locked in. Once in a great while the lot next door may be available to increase your lot size, but generally what you see is what you get. Remember, you can always do something to a house. You can tear it down and start all over again. But, you can’t move your lot to a better location nor can you make it larger. Your Realtor should also check or help you check about potential changes coming in the neighborhood. If your view of the mountains or the sea is going to be blocked in the next year or so by the big new condo going up across the street, the value of the property you are looking at will be affected. Some potential changes may increase the value of the location. There could be a new grade school building coming soon, or new businesses, or newer roads. Trees and landscaping can also be changed. But trees take time to grow, so they must be considered as part of the location.

Condition can mean one thing to one person and a different thing to another. Most sellers are aware that the property should be in “showing condition”, but some do not have the energy or funds to get the house in great condition. Often you can tell whether or not a house has been “remodeled” or “maintained”. If it looks as if every surface has recently been repainted, be aware that the house may have been in poor repair and the seller is trying to get it back into shape. This is better than one in poor repair completely, but you need to know that putting paint on the surface can hide things such as mold and walls in rough condition. If a house has been maintained all along, chances are you will have fewer problems throughout your ownership. Don’t let carpet color or condition stop you from buying the house priced considerably cheaper. Check into the price of new carpet and its installation and add that to the sale of the house, and then require the seller to put that money in escrow (or better yet have your carpet installed prior to closing). Chances are you can get that house considerably cheaper than the one just like it down the street with new carpet throughout. Sellers lose a considerable amount of money if they do not have the house in good condition, because most buyers do not want (nor do they have money) to fix a property up. Investors buy fix-up properties and then fix them up to make a profit. It is that profit you can save if you are not afraid to fix it up yourself. Conventional wisdom of real estate says to buy the cheapest house in the best location you can find. Often the reason it is the cheapest is that it needs some work.

Price is a big component of VALUE. But price, too, is relative. The better the location the higher the price. If the condition of the house is below average, the price better be too as it will sell lower anyway, giving the buyer a good to great value. The value of a property is what a willing and able buyer will pay for it at any set time. Sometimes appraisal value and real value do not match (as when sales prices are rising and interest rates are low). The price of the house may have been determined by the seller, the seller’s agent, the neighbor, an appraiser or anyone else who may have had a say. It does not have a direct correlation to its VALUE. Most agents hope they can list the property pretty close to value. But when inventory is low, we often see “seller priced” properties. The person who knows the value of the property the best at the time of offer is the buyer, because he or/and she have seen enough properties on the market to be able to make reasonable deductions and reach reasonable conclusions as to the property’s value.

All of these must mesh into your personal criteria for the home you are looking for, including the price. A good Realtor will explain all of this to you and then show you houses that will give you the options of condition, price and location. If you choose the houses based on outside drive-bys, make sure you remember you can not judge a book by its cover. The size of the house is not determined by how it looks from the road. Judge the location and the condition, but size is so deceptive. The livability of the house may make up for a smaller size anyway. Just like books on the shelf, you can judge the location by the exterior. Check out the neighborhoods, then look for houses in the neighborhoods you like.

There are so many choices out there for most first-time buyers, it can be confusing. With the internet feeding you homes and areas to check out, you soon will know what area you will like to be in and how much what you want will cost in that neighborhood. Or if price is a top consideration, where you have to go to get the price, condition and size you need. After you know that, call me (or your local Realtor who has been e-mailing you all this good information), and tell him or her it is time for us to “go look at the following houses”. Then the fun really begins.

CHOSING AND NEGOTIATIONS

The time will come when you have found at least one property you really like. It used to be there was plenty of time to investigate all about the house and neighborhood, after you found the house you liked. In today’s sellers’ market in many areas, you may not have time to investigate too heavily. Properties are selling within days of being put on the market. There may be several bids on the property the same day. If you are looking in this type of market, you must be prepared to make a quick decision, and ready to make the offer the day you find the house. Carry your pre-qualifying letter with you, or make sure your agent has one in her/his file. Have your earnest money moved from your savings account to the checking account, so you can write the deposit check at any time. (The amount required by the seller will vary depending on the price range, the tradition in the area, even sometimes on the terms of the contract.) Know what you have looked at (taking notes helps). If you find that “one and only” that you and your family all agree on, do not hesitate. In a seller’s market, it may be gone tomorrow. Tell your agent you would like to go back to the office and write up an offer.

In most states, verbal offers are not binding. In the sellers’ market, it is best to write it up. Some areas do “Offers to Purchase” and then write the formal contract after all has been negotiated. Others use the offer written as the formal contact and all parties just initial the changes as they are made. Some Boards of Realtors use uniform contracts so changes are made on additional pages. In any state, you are always welcome to use a lawyer. Some states have the sellers and buyers use a lawyer as a matter of law. In others, it is rare for either to have a lawyer. In the quick market, when you want your offer considered, make the contract subject to lawyer review rather than wait for him to review the contract prior to your signature. This way, if there is something on the contract your lawyer does not like, you can have that changed, or get out of the contract. Since Realtors are not lawyers, they are required to use Lawyer approved contract forms, so most of it is standard anyway.

The contract should address the process of inspections, the guarantee of title, default terms, pro-rations, etc. The parts usually negotiated are the price, the closing date, the possession date and any contingencies. There are many different ways to handle condition issues. Your agent should make sure you have a disclosure form from the seller prior to complete and final agreement. Many contracts state that the final agreement is subject to the buyer’s review of the disclosure statement. You will probably need to pay an inspector to write up a formal inspection form within a few days of the contract agreement. Generally, ugly does not count as a repairable item. The wear and tear of general life is not considered a repairable item. A broken door lock, an air conditioner that doesn’t work properly---these things need to be fixed. Unless you are buying totally “as is”, the seller usually has to fix these types of things. (Sometimes, this is done up to a dollar amount.) In a sellers’ market, the buyer sometimes has to accept the property “as is with rights of inspection”. I would advise you put a “not to exceed” dollar amount on this type of contract so that if you find the basement is cracked and needs $15,000 worth of work and repair, you are not obligated.

You may need the seller to pay some of the closing costs on your loan. Be aware that the property must appraise for enough to cover these expenses and leave the seller with the funds he feels he needs to have after closing. Any costs he pays he is going to look at as a subtraction from the offer. If the house is priced at $250,000 and you offer $240,000 and ask him to pay 5% of the sales price as closing costs, in his eyes you are making an offer of $228,000. Really, it is even less to the seller, as he must pay the commission, any state taxes, and title costs based on the larger amount. Most sellers just look at the bottom line. In a sellers’ market, you want to make your offer high enough to guarantee you get the house you want. You probably will not be privy to any other offers. You need to decide what the property is worth, both to you and in comparison to other properties on the market. If you only have a small or no down payment, the property appraisal becomes a consideration, too. The property must appraise for the sales price for a loan of more than 80% of the appraised value. Your Realtor can go to the computer and do a quick CMA (estimate of value) for you on the property. Sometimes, the agent is familiar enough with the area to let you know about other properties in the area and what they have sold for while you are looking at property.

With most people, there are other things to consider than price during the negotiating process of the sale. The closing date and possession may be an important part of the initial offer and of the final contract. Most sellers are planning to buy another house and need things to work in their favor on the dates. Sometimes, the buyer is needs to get out of his apartment by a certain date and needs the closing to correspond. In some areas, the seller gets a few days after closing to move, and in others the keys to the house are turned over at the closing table. If the seller of the house you are buying wants to stay after closing, have a rental agreement. The closing of the sale of the house ends the contract to purchase. In order to make sure you get possession in a timely manner, and potential damage to the house is addressed, have a written lease or rental agreement, even if the rent amount is one dollar.

Another potential negotiated item concerns the personal property that may stay with the house. Most sellers list the things they are leaving in the listing agreement and they will be printed on the MLS information your agent has. If you ask for something in the offer that is not part of the listing agreement, be aware this is an “offer” to the seller. They may put a lot of value on that particular item. I usually advise sellers not to lose the sale of the house for the cost of a 15-year-old clothes washing machine, but it has been known to happen. In today’s market, as a buyer, appreciate all the seller may leave. If you do ask for something not on the listing, consider its real value. Do you want to find another house for the cost?

When you make the initial offer, you may want to put a date and time that the seller must respond by. If you have no date and time, the offer is out there hanging, and the seller can accept at any time. It is not a true contact though until you, as buyer, acknowledge the acceptance. Until final agreement, the seller can take another contract. After you have reached agreement, he may take a “back-up” offer. If you really want the house, I hope you hear the words from your agent “You got the house!” If you do not, chances are there is a better one out there for you.

2006-04-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

5 Things Mega Producers Do Every Day That You Probably Don't
by Rich Levin

Doug Doebler will earn a seven figure personal income this year. I started coaching Doug three years ago when he was earning mid five figures.
Cathy McWilliams is the number one agent in her company. She sold one hundred and fifteen homes last year. My work with her began seven years ago when she sold nine homes.

What do Cathy and Doug do every day that you don't? What are the key things that all highly successful Agents do every day, that you are not doing?

First, they are conscientious with lead follow up. Average agents are often very concerned with generating more leads, yet they lose many of the leads that come to them.

Highly successful agents know how many listings and sales they need each month to reach their goals. They focus and follow up on enough leads to achieve those goals.

This is a subtle point. Notice that I do not say they follow up on all their leads. Highly successful agents know how much business they need to reach their goals. Once they know they have enough in their pipeline they focus on Service, Marketing, Managing their business and Enjoying their life.

We coach agents to set aside an hour a day, three days a week to follow up and manage their leads. We call it your Power Hours. One of my coaching clients, Connie Holovics, in Buffalo, New York named it Power Hours because it gives her back her power.

Putting these three Power Hours on your calendar, showing up, and using the time to manage and call your leads, is the first thing you may not do that more productive agents are doing.

The second habit that the best agents do that you may not, is that they are conscientious on service.

Do you speak to each of your listed seller's each week?
Do you speak to each of your pending seller and buyer clients each week?
Do you speak to your hottest few buyers every day and your less urgent buyers each week, in addition to their automated receipt of new listing?

Highly successful agents always agree with our belief that, "There is more business in good service than in most forms of good prospecting."

So we coach our clients to set aside one hour a week to call your listed sellers; call your pending clients; and update your active buyers. We call this your Service Hour.

Occasionally, we get the comment that there is no time to schedule this additional Service Hour in your already busy days. That is dangerous thinking.
That thinking costs you business, peace of mind, and makes every phase of every transaction more difficult for you.

Holly Creek ($52,000,000 in 2004) said, "Rich, you have shown me how to shift my service from a minus three to a ten plus. My day was full of problem calls. Now I have the time to be proactive. My clients and I are happier."
Many agents comment that their clients are in the habit of calling all the time and nothing will prevent it.

The reason they call all the time is that they don't know when (or if) you will call. They don't know if they can depend on you.

As you build the Service Hour habit you train your clients to expect your call at that time. If you are true to your word and you make the calls when you say you will, you'll soon discover that your clients appreciate your dependability and you recapture a lot of time...and life.

By the way, of the two habits, your three Power Hours and your Service Hour each week, implementing your Service Hour is more important.

Most important is the fifth day of the week. I call it your Leadership Hour. This is one scheduled hour each week that you step out of working in your business for an hour and you work on your business.

During this Leadership Hour you look at you numbers, your appointments, your sales and listings. How did you do this week? How are you doing this month and year to date? Where are you in relation to your goals? What marketing campaign is next? What service system needs to be established? Are your presentations working or do they need work?

This one hour soon becomes the driving force for your business. For our coaching clients, that is their coaching hour and when their coaching agreement is complete I teach them to apply the same coaching practices for themselves during this leadership hour. Those that do this find that their business continues to grow and their quality of life continues to improve.

The final thing that highly successful agents do that you may not is a Success Habit. It is not scheduled, like those above. It is a mental and emotional habit. It is this.

When something goes wrong they get past it quickly and get back into action toward their goals. They have a habit that I break into four steps.
They acknowledge the error (whether it is their error or someone else's). They forgive themselves. They re-commit to their goals. And they get back into action.

Lesser agents allow errors, theirs and other's errors to slow them down for hours, even days.

Highly successful agents are just as bothered by errors, perhaps more so. But, they learn to quickly get past their thoughts and feeling and get back into action.

That's it. In summary, here is what Mega Producers do for one hour each :

They are conscientious on Lead Follow-up - your Power Hours.
They are conscientious on Service - your Service Hour.
They take scheduled time to stop working in their business and work on it - your Leadership Hour.

When they err, they quickly get past it and back on track.
Be patient with yourself. Yet, be persistent in putting these habits into place and you are on your way to a very high levels of production and a life of greater control and happiness.

Dee Nott
FavoriteAgent.com
Fayetteville NC
910-494-2840
dee@DeeNott.com

2006-04-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

Sherry on the HV mastermind forum listed these 8 "secrets" of successful people. If you look at each as a different aspect of success, you can analyze where you have missed something.

These 8 "secrets" are:

Take 100 percent responsibility for your life
Live your life "on purpose"
Be willing to pay the price for your dreams
Stay focused
Become an expert in your field
Write out a plan for achieving your goals
Never give up
Don't delay

What is my success 'score'?

Ruth

2006-04-08T14:03:00.001-07:00

Agent CEO

2006-04-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Agent CEO

2006-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

Ruth's Place

New web site is up and running.....Not all the way but going. Check out www.RuthArnold.com

2006-03-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

Ruth's Place

Just read a post of Daniel's and he said he had gotten a few calls, but they hang up as soon as they find out "---" . Thought I might add some helpful hints gleaned from other agents, and experts over the years.
1. Be prepared for the phone call. Always at least have a note pad you can get to. (This is the one I am guilty of not following)
2. Answer the call with a smile on your face and an uplifting voice.
3. You have a set agenda for this call. Write out what you want to know, if you are not good at winging it. Like, "What are you looking for?"
4. You do not wrestle the call from them, but you ask the questions. Like "This house has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, is that enough room for your family?' or....."This is a small acreage. What are you looking to do in the country? Do you just want privacy or are you planning to have horses or cattle?
5. Write down their answers.
6. Don't be afraid to tell them that what they called in on is not going to work for them.....but, be sure to give alternatives that may. "I think this may be too far out of the city for you, would you like me to see what else is out there?" or, "This does not sound like it would work for what you are looking for, but there is one I saw last week that might---Would you like me to e-mail you that information, or if you can hang on a bit longer, I will pull it up on the computer. I will have to put you on hold a minute tho. Just in case I loose you in the never never land of "hold" what is your number?
7. Ask for their name and number and e-mail after you have found out what they are looking for.
8. If they are just in the beginning process of looking, treat them like JL customers. .....Give them the chance for the automatic feed. Put on drip campaign and keep in contact.
9. If they are investors or are looking for the impossible, put them in your "book" and then call them when what they want pops up on the MLS or in your inventory.
10. Ask if they are working with another agent at this time? Tell them the advantage of working with just one agent to find them the best property for them (you can do this).
11. Try to avoid a few phrases which turn people off. Like: "you will have to" or "I can't do that" or "that just does not exist" . THEY do not HAVE TO do anything. YOU can at least CHECK ON IT. and, yes, IT DOES EXIST. ... Maybe not where you are but somewhere.
12. If they are ready willing and able buyers, close for the appointment. Then, find them a house.
If you go with the attitude that your job is to help these people get what they want and need, no matter what they call in on, you will find that you can turn those phone calls about your listings into buyers who will buy. Ruth
Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Ft Lauderdale Prudential Florida FirstExperience, Ethics and Enthusiasmwww.RuthArnold.comRuthArnold1@comcast.net

2006-03-30T04:07:00.000-08:00

Arizona Realtor Pal

Just love the start of this Blog. I am still trying to learn how this all works. Check out a fellow HouseValues Forum Member! Ruth

2006-03-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ruth's Place

Some of you got this address via e-mail. Please feel free to say "hi". Ruth

2006-03-28T07:52:00.000-08:00

It's A Wonderful Life

Welcome to my new web blog. I guess I signed up for this name and then I did not realize I had gotten it, so I have not posted anything to the blog. Welcome to anyone who may want to post on the blog. I hope to be able to use this to help people with their real estate concerns and to expand my horizons. I have a few ideas I will be implementing within the next few days.

I am also changing my web site. I am moving to a location with MLS availability. I wish I could have my site the exact way I envision it, but do not have the knowledge I need to do it myself, nor do I have the funds to pay for what I can envision. I plan to take the e-pro course some time this summer.

If you have found this based on any of the words in the description, please feel free to post and to ask any questions. I plan to set up several web links. My personal link at www.RuthArnold.com should be up and running with MLS access within this next week. It is currently available, but will be changing soon.

Welcome to my BLOG!! Ruth