Lately I have had inspectors that are passing the buck, so to speak. They go out and then recommend the buyer hire a specialist in each area. I recommend you get an AC/heat person, and a roofer, and a foundation and a pool expert, etc......What are we paying them for? They are scaring the buyers. I feel they are scared of litigation and putting themselves on the line for liabililty. I am going through one of the worst kind right now. Are any of you seeing a similar pattern? And when do we stand up and just suggest they hire the specialist in each field to begin with?

 

Happy Holidays to all of my Reliberation buddies. Thank you all for your great posts and contributions this past year. I learned a lot from you and had a few laughs in the process.

Hats off to the Point 2 team in delivering a great successful year to us here in Canyon Lake, Texas. We appreciate your service. We had a wonderful successful year.

Wishing you all much success in the New Year.

 Any plans you wish to share with your relib buddies? I am going to drop more of my print advertising and spend more on the internet. I had to do some print this year to establish our business name in the community.

PS. This is not an invitation for Yahoo to call for me for pay per click. Don't even dial my number.

I was just reading a post where the topic of finding properties came up. Yesterday I was showing a client. At the stop sign I glanced quickly at my Mapsco book to see how many streets down the property was. She commented, wow you read a map well. I said, yes, years of experience.

In today's market I feel agents are resorting to GPS devices and internet directions too much. These only give you basic directions to a property and sometimes it is wrong. I feel all agents should use a real map and memorize it back and forth. I will highlight my entire tour on it. Then study it. You should know what street is in front, back, etc....before long you will know the area well enough not to have to use it so much, you will be able to visualize in your mind the map and where you seen the street.

Of course I am jealous that when I started in real estate, a GPS that talked to you was something in a science fiction movie, and your MLS was a book in your front seat. :)

Happy Selling!

Hello Fellow Relibers. I can see I have been gone too long. You let this place turn into an advertisng forum?

Real estate has been busy in my area. Missed posting. Have peeked in on some posts. The 3 new associates that joined my firm are doing well. It has been demanding. We opened a new store front on the main drag. I can now identify with an earlier post here who said they have too many vendors stopping by. Every title company, mortgage company, lawn man ( he was cute) and advertising medium has stopped in. I am waiting on the old man that has the million dollar waterfront to list.

Opening a new office is very demanding. More than I knew. Training agents is also. I read a post earlier about getting a brokers license. Moving on up. I think everyone should, however, a lot of research, thought and preparing needs to go into opening an office and training agents. You may not have time to post. :)

However, I will say, we are on our way to success. Writing contracts. And I could not ask for a better team. They found me instead of vice versa. It is wonderful.

And I am not hurt I did not win the Brownies from Mary. I applaud her winner.

Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I have a new Apple Iphone. How did I justify spending that much on a device? I think the cell phone and e-mail is a Realtors greatest tool. At least that is what I am telling myself.  

I am just now learning to use it, so far really great!

Anyone else gone off the deep end?

I have found that this time of year my business slows. It seems folks are getting ready for back to school or last minute vacations before school starts. Is this effecting your market area? If so, how do you overcome it?

I would like to know what newly licensed agents have to say about  Reliberation and Point 2. Are you confused? Are you learning from the posts? How has each helped you? Good luck to you all! And join us by posting.

OK, it is Friday night, lets share our week's experiences....The fun time. Whew. Now we begin the real work, showing all weekend. My situation, my weekend folks canceled. So I have marketing meeting tomorrow with agents. And as I guess you can tell, I had a slow day. Had a chance to write a poem and post. I was up and ready at 6:00 am all dressed and no place to go. I did it finallly. Hired a few agents. Mary and I have discussed this. I have worked independent and alone for 2 years after leaving the big agency. Did very well. Now opened an office and hiring agents. It is very tough giving up the leads to the agents. I need a break. Been working 24/7. But also, if they can't service them, and I could have...........Oh well, here I am writing to you folks, hoping you all had a good week and some good stories to tell. In this business we end a week on Friday and start the new week on Saturday.

Long Classroom hours I endured

Learning contracts, real estate law

Fair Housing and mathematics for sure

Dreams of making my fortune was the draw.

Stumbling out the classroom diploma in hand

Without hammer and nails I began to build my career

Peers are full of free advice

Floor time would be nice, I will pay the price.

Like a tide my learning begins, highs and lows

Sell fell through, buyer forgot to disclose

Interest rates double, market declines

cell phone bill, car note, MLS dues are mine.

Sink or swim comes to mind, go the extra mile

Stop listening to negative, use your talent, smile

Work long hours, market, you are not alone

After all everyone needs a home.

Today is prosperous, computers are near

Knowledge flows through parascopes

Look, listen and learn, take your hopes

and dreams to new levels, this you here.

Point 2 is my compass I use to navigate

Reliberation is my island I visit to raise my spirit

Learn and frolic with the peers I hold dear,

admire and exchange knowledge, here it?

 

West coast is sleeping, East coast is weeping.

Are you a poet and didn't know it? Lets here it. 

 

 

Note: this discussion has moved to the Point2 Agent Message Board (link).

There was a very good recent post about statistics. How many hits your web site receives vs. how many prospects it creates.

The bottom line is really how many sales it created and working prospects. When I first began working web leads, not easy, I was at 1 - 10 closing ratio. I am now at 1 - 4.

The difference is marketing to a specific audience, learning to read between the lines on prospect response and their wish list, and more...........

Anyone wish to share?

An apple a day may result in additional pay. Don't stray, stay and learn so you too can earn.

When I do a search for my web site address, the main page does come up first. Then a couple of secondary pages from my web page. However, later down on say 4th or 5th is some companies that seem to have stolen my name and incorporated it in their junk.

One in particular is realty-info-swicki.eurekster

What is that? And how did my name get affiliated with it? It goes to another advertising site. ???

Thanks for any input.

 

I have seen several posts here lately about fees and service and FSBOxs.

Veteran agents know, it is all in the service you provide. You aren't born a Realtor or real estate agent you have to earn it. You get out of real estate school or join a big brokerage and you think, hey I am here you should pay me xxx amount. Why? Because I am here. I am Realtor, pay me.

It does not work that way. You must prove your credibility and your work ethics. Your marketing plan. Your previous history. If you don't have history, that is OK too, if you can show the marketing plan and your enthusiasm and sincerity, honesty, etc....You must also click with your clients. You must be personable. The fees are earned. The trust is earned. I have an ad on my buyers page that was from the Realtor organization saying "Do you have 1400 minutes a day to commit to finding a home?" Most folks who work a 40 hour week and children at home don't. However there may be some out there that do. There may be some homeowners, as sellers that are retired and wish to do a lot of the work themselves, so introducing the menu pricing. There may be some rookie agents out there that could click with Mr. or Mrs. Retiree and be able to work together on a fee and the service. Just remember this in your everyday life. No situation is the same.

I personally wish to only be a full service Realtor. I take pride in my job and know marketing strategies, and want my client to need me. I have more years experience than wish to admit. I want the client who does not want to partner with me. I have earned this status. It was not handed to me when I got the certificate saying I was a Realtor. There are different levels in every business. Think about it. You can not group everyone into one category. When I got my first divorce, I was so broke, I found the cheapest guy in the Thrifty Nickel, flat fee $500 no contest. That was my man. I did not have children or property. That worked back then. Now that I have a dog, well, I would have to find full service. :)

And also remember when there was full service gas stations? What I would not give for that again. I hate the smell of gasoline on my hands. In the rain and heat. Wish they were still here.

I recently wanted to contact an agent,  I thought what better place than her web site. I viewed the web page and could not find any contact information other than one place to send a contact e-mail that would have to go through her web page and my e-mail would show up as a web lead. No phone #'s. No address of company. Since then I have viewed many web pages that don't have sufficient contact information. I have to look through several tabs to find a persons information, if then. I had my contact information in several places, but this prompted me to go to my web site, edit my template and now on every page I have a right column with my phone # and e-mail. Some times folks like myself prefer to just send an e-mail rather than call. So don't forget to put your e-mail address.  Check it out folks, how many folks forget the most important thing. Did you?

Hello you all!  I have a listing for $245,000 that has been a hard to move property. Very unique. We had a full price offer come in a few days ago, it was accepted, then during the option period the folks decided against it after doing research with the city on possible future zoning.  I had another offer come in just before this one, for only $200k and long option period, etc...Now that the $245,000 one broke out I called the buyers agent on the $200k offer and told them it was back. We had sent them an invitation earlier to submit a better offer. Last night we countered back and forth with seller and buyer until we worked out a verbal agreement. The buyer has not yet signed nor the seller. Agent said they would get off work around 6 our time and do it.

About 6 months ago a neighbor was interested, doing a 1031 exchange. Never did, kept us hanging for months, kept trying to get the price down. They called me this afternoon and ask if it was sold. I was honest and told them we had a verbal but nothing signed, present an offer. They said they would call me back in a little while. The above mentioned verbal is an owner finance this one would be cash. So............I know we wrote about this before, but since it is now me happening to, what do I do. Nothing signed. Present all offers. Seller decides...right. But problem is this cash buyer would be my buyer, the other has an a buyers agent. Seller will be confused and ask my advice.

All advice will be considered. I have a call into seller. No answer. Help....