Your Galveston, Texas Real Estate Source. Come live by the beach.

Posted Thursday, August 02, 2007 2:44 PM by Team Stevens | 9 Comments

Topic: Trends, Ethics

Luck of the draw

Once upon a time in real estate land there was a broker who got the cient of a lifetime.

Just wanted to share this true story with you.

The broker friend of ours was contacted by an attrative lady who was the sister of famous country singer Bonnie Raitt. She favored Bonnie. She had come to Clear Lake in search of her new home.

After a month of searching the client began to fall for our broker friend. By the time she made it to closing they were fast friends.

A party was planned for Boonie's arrival. She was accompanying here sister to the closing the next day and of course paying out of the family account. The extravaganza was filled with fresh tuna and chilled champagne. A group of friends were gathered together to celebrate.

Our broker friend lends his Jaguar to Bonnie's sister. She needed to pick Bonnie up from the airport. He stayed with my husband at the bar helping with the party. Several hours pass. No sign of Bonnie, her sister or the Jag. More time passes. Tuna is wasting away while champagne is being used now as a pain killer.

At one point in the evening she called with a excuse regarding the delay. Next morning rolls around. No Bonnie, no sister and no car.

Needless to say she was no Bonnie Raitt's sister. The car never made it home (along with sme cash). Months later the cops found the car in Oklahoma. Bonnie's double was a certified con artist. The FBI had been in on her real estate broker scam. This was not her 1st rodeo.

Next time you get a client that is a pain remember our poor friend. Bonnie's sister could still be out there. You men beware.

Christina

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 6:17 PM by Team Stevens | 10 Comments

Topic: Trends

573,397

Brought to you by ABC news with Charles Gibson this evening.

573,397 homes filed for foreclosure the first half of this year. 1 in 124 homes are in foreclosure in California, 1 in 69 homes in Nevada.

Just thought these were numbers we should all know.

Christina

www.Sanantonio4sale.net

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 5:45 PM by Team Stevens | 9 Comments

Topic: Trends

Real Estate motivation for the day.

Just some motivation for the day.

Looks like we could be coming out of our national slump.

Pending home sales for the month of June have increased 5% higher.

Find out more by visiting the NAR link below.

http://www.realtor.org under news we can use found on main page.

A friend who is an agent has an excellent blog. He sends out motivation each and every week to both his colleagues and prospects. It is fun to get this encouragement each monday.

I would love to see us start a trend like this. His pertains to both real estate and life. He gives you a summation of his practice in real estate for the past week then goes on to give you your motivation. Here is an example of his post from Monday.

"Examine what is said, not him who speaks."

Arab Proverb

Sometimes we don't know where or from whom good advice will come to us. Have a great week and be prepared to listen.

This could be a great addition to our sites and of course our fun here at REliberation. Would love to offer something like this in a weekly drip to our clients. Hope it gives you an idea.

Thanks for your time.

Christina

www.Lasvegas4sale.net

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:30 AM by Team Stevens | 9 Comments

Topic: Trends

Are the creative juices flowing???

Today is the official start of the new opportunity point 2 gave us to make some cash.

Anyone having fun yet.

I hope that in addition to padding our pockets we can increase the Reliberation standing on the internet.

Who knows. We may even learn a little something.

Have fun posting.

Also remember to rate the posts of your Relib friends. I never do this only b/c I forget. Making a mental note to participate in the rating more often.

Christina

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:27 AM by Team Stevens | 6 Comments

Topic: Technology

Blogging. We are ahead in the game.

I was shocked to find out that only 4% of real estate agents have and use a blog (information found in Realtor magazines latest addition).

Just wanted to share this small number with the rest of you. Made me feel accomplished and a grade above the rest.

Why do you blog? Is it just because of your SEO standings? Do you like the time you spend telling the world about your business and how you feel?

If blogs did not help your website in anyway would you still participate?

Blog your true feelings today.

Thanks, Christina

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 10:16 AM by Team Stevens | 6 Comments

Topic: Marketing, Trends, Technology

Subprime lending. How has this effected our market? How can agents push for change.

I just browsed through my Realtor magazine yesterday. I finished about half of the publication realizing that the majority of my reading was focused on subprime lending. I recently posted regarding this issue and the media attention our business is receiving due to the stock markets crash last week.

Our business is changing rapidly as we scramble to improve the real estate market nationwide. Some of us are now attending classes on perfecting the short sale. Some of us are working to sharper our resumes in an effort to handle foreclosures for banks around the nation.

NAR is now providing us with literature regarding foreclosure warning signs. You can order pamphlets to advise your customers on how to avoid a foreclosure. Is this the real estate agents new job? Should this information not be provided by the mortgage broker????

In Texas ARMS are not prevalent. Our state is very specific when it comes to lending. Yes we still have foreclosures. This will never stop unfortunately. Our real estate contracts usually range anywhere from 15 to 25 pages after all of our disclosures have been prepared.

How may disclosures do lenders provide their clients with. Do they also provide them with pamphlets regarding the pitfalls of a foreclosure??? It is our responsibility to help warn and help prevent a foreclosure. ???? What responsibility does the mortgage broker have? How many disclosures must they provide when helping facilitate a loan???

Yes part of the responsibility lies on our shoulders. Often as agents we provide counseling when a client has a question regarding a loan. I ALWAYS tell our clients that we are not their mortgage broker. My opinion is just an opinion and they should seek the expert advice of their mortgage representative. After all the mortgage broker is being paid for his service. What is the expert advice they are given? Do you feel that mortgage representatives are doing there job? Do you think more disclosure are required when a loan is granted? Do you think we should have to provide pamphlets warning our clients what they should already know.

My goal is not be beat up the mortgage industry in this post yet we suffer the unknowing consequences of the banks actions.

Read your current addition of Realtor magazine. Do you see an underlying theme in this issue?

Thanks for your time.

Christina

Posted Wednesday, August 01, 2007 9:55 AM by Team Stevens | 0 Comments

Topic: Trends, Ethics

Any apartment locator's in San Antonio

I need to move my employee housing. We use an apartment locator for this since I do not know the best option for our current employee housing needs.

Yes I am being lazy since I can get the first months rent for free but I really don't do apartments.

Anyone in the apartment locating biz for San Antonio please contact me.

210-725-7670

Posted Monday, July 16, 2007 10:04 AM by Team Stevens | 8 Comments

To show or not to show???

We all know commission in negotiated for each sale, never set in real estate ( I assume this is across the board in most states).

Saying that I would like to ask a question.

Do you exclude homes that have a decreased commission rate. Decreased from what would be considered the norm in your region. Say for example you usually make 3% on the buyers side in your area. Let's say buyers representation commission is offered at 2.5 or even 2%. Would you show this house and if so would you show it as a last resort?

When you are listing a home do you take this into consideration?

I don't ever exclude. If I take a discount on my listing I am always careful to offer the the going rate to the buyers agent.

I have heard brokers and agents advise colleagues not to show a property due to the decrease in what is a customary commission rate. Does not really seem far to the buyer. May be fair to the agent. We often can;t work for much less then the norm.

Christina