Archive for clients
Short Sale Story (Cont… #2)
Posted by: | CommentsClient X: “I met with Joe a couple days ago to start filling out paper work to do the short sale on my house. Since I have already started to get rid of furniture we decided to go to a restaurant across the street so we had a decent table to work at. The fact that I had a coupon for free chips and guacamole helped a lot in this decision. The paperwork seems fairly straight forward with the main exception being the portion for the lawyers. I understand the main gist of it but I don’t want to focus on it too much I guess. According to the lawyer paperwork there is a fee that goes along with their paperwork which I believe I will have to produce before I can meet with them and have them go to bat with the mortgage company for me. I honestly have no idea how I’m going to make this happen since I currently don’t have a job but I’m hoping I will figure something out.
If everything goes according to schedule I will be listing the house one week from today and will be moved out of the house at the same time. It’s really hard to live in a house for one week because there are certain things that should need to be packed but I can’t pack until I leave. That being said, it’s almost like camping in a house right now. Despite the fact that I will be losing a lot of money by going this route I still feel that it will be better for me in the long run as compared to doing a deed in lieu of foreclosure or just a foreclosure. I’m trying really hard to not think about the amount of money I will lose and focusing on the next residence and the next opportunity that presents itself.
I am very curious to see how much interest there is in my house. I have always loved it but I suppose this really opens it up to public opinion. I also have some work to do on the house over the next week or so to get the house presentable. I don’t believe there is much to do as far as fixing things so much and just a solid cleaning of the house. Most of the things the Joe suggested weren’t a surprise to me and were things I had planned on taking care of anyway. Ideally I want people to fall in love with this place just like I did when I came to look at it. That can’t really happen though if I’m not taking care of it.”
Short Sale Story
Posted by: | CommentsSo I, like the rest of you see a lot out there about Short Sales- they are everywhere, especially if you work, live or breathe around the world of Real Estate.
However, what I have NOT seen much of is the impact of Short Sales (financially, emotionally and otherwise) on Sellers from the Seller’s point of view. I think that most people have very specific opinions of who these people are, what their situations are and what led them to those situations. I also think that in many (most) scenarios, those opinions are probably not entirely accurate.
So without further ado I present “Short Sale Story” a series of posts written by and told through the eyes of Client X. This IS intended to be a discussion as well, so if you have questions for me or Client X, please feel free to leave a comment.
Client X: “Due to a number of different issues involving divorce, jobs (or lack thereof), finances and the economy I’m forced to give up my house in hopes of salvaging what little I can of my life and hope to start over someday. Obviously this is not an ideal situation and I will be losing a substantial amount of money “on paper” during this process. However, it is clearly better than going into foreclosure so I’m giving this my best shot in hopes that I can find a buyer and I can get out of a loan that I am severely upside down on (thank you to the people that helped destroy the economy. I owe you one…seriously.)
At any rate, I’m currently reading through the paperwork and trying to wrap my head around the different items that will need to be accomplished. The thing I keep going back to is that just because it’s a short sale doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t have the house completely presentable. I have a few things that I need to take care of which will help the house be more presentable and hopefully sell faster.
The other item I keep reminding myself is that there is really nothing to be embarrassed about in regards to taking the short sale route to remedy this situation. I think at this point selling the house is the most responsible thing I can do as compared to ignoring the problem at hand until I’m given an auction date and eviction notice. I’ve never been one to stick my head in the sand and I fully intend on facing this head on. I truly feel that with my realtor, my family and my friends on my side I will make the absolute best of a bad situation.
That being said, the plan is to list the house next week and hopefully get some interest and see where it takes me. Right now “hopefully” seems to be the key word for me.”
Client Appreciation Event #4 Has Come And Gone- Why These Things Rock!
Posted by: | CommentsSo my 4th client appreciation event (The long awaited PJ Party) is now in the history books… phwew! Tons and tons of work, planning, confirming and too many thoughtful touches to list (thanks to Jenn) culminating in a 3 hour “professional” party- Not a bad way to spend your marketing budget!
These events have been an absolutely incredible and invaluable part of my business. They are my opportunity to reconnect with and most importantly to thank my friends, family and clients for all they do for me and my business. The days of Realtors showing appreciation through calendars and magnets are behind us, (IMHO) they are impersonal, static and they don’t send a message. Well, they don’t send the right message- they say “Think of me everyday, send me business everyday and I will think of you once a year to keep you thinking about me”.
Sure I want business from my clients, but I want to talk to them more often than when they are sending me a referral. My events are all about sending them the right message- the ”I want to talk to you, maybe over a drink, maybe next to the music, but I want to talk to you- And not just about Real Estate” message.
So what are these events all about- They are soooo totally simple it is amazing. Get a bunch of really cool people together, give them yummy food and drinks all centered around a really cool, central theme (again, thanks Jenn) and let them hang out. It’s such a cool thing to look around a room full of people and see your friends, your family and your clients all interacting, networking, learning and just having fun. There is no pressure to ask for or give referrals- that stuff happens way more naturally when you have connections like this.
What am I missing you ask? See for yourself! How do I get to go you ask? You get to know me or my super marketing genius wife, Jenn and we invite you 
I Know What's Wrong With The Economy…
Posted by: | CommentsPeople are smart and companies are STUPID! – That’s it… please allow me to illustrate:
I am working with some buyer clients; a great couple- first time buyers, great credit, motivated to get into their first home, etc… these people are EXACTLY who should be benefiting from the “Insert Expletive Here” market we are all struggling through.
We have been working together for a few weeks now and in the course of our searching, we come across a great place in Gilbert, listed at $165k. Looking at the listing sheet, I was thrilled to find out that this is not a lender owned property (as MANY are these days under $200k) but rather a corporate relocation. Being trained as a corporate relocation specialist, I am very comfortable that I will be dealing with a system with which I am very familiar.
In the course of our due diligence prior to submitting our offer, we find out there is already an offer in on the property. I don’t know what the offer is, but I have been told that it is a less than full price offer. My clients come to the decision that we will submit our offer in the “highest and best” manner and cross our fingers. Our offer is:
Purchase price – $165,000 w/ Seller contributing 3% ($4,950) to cover Buyers closing costs. NET TO SELLER: $160,050
We submit, and we wait. I get a call from the agent that the Seller (the homeowner’s employer) has countered. No biggie, it always happens, “So what is it?” I say. She tells me:
Purchase price – $155,000 w/ Seller contributing 0% to cover Buyer’s closing costs. NET TO SELLER: $155,000
Do me a favor at this point and take a look at the two scenarios I have put up here. Our offer has the Seller netting over $5,000 MORE than their counter offer. I ask the listing agent “Are you sure this is right?” She tells me it is and explains that the Seller has a contract with the homeowner / transferee that they will cover the mortgage but no “Non-Customary” costs, ie: the closing costs we asked for. Intrigued I say “Well, it’s interesting and I will take it to my clients”.
Sure enough, as great as the deal sounds, my Buyers just can’t do it. It is simply a cash issue. They recognize that they would make out better on paper with the Sellers offer, but it’s no good if they don’t have the cash. I go back to the listing agent and tell her our situation. She agrees to take it back to the Seller and “Go to bat” for my clients.
Next day I get a call from the listing agent- “They said NO”. Completely perplexed, I go back to my clients and tell them that we are back at square one- Time to start over.
I’m driving after this conversation and this whole thing is just not sitting right with me. So I call the agent back again and have a very friendly, but very pointed conversation with her. I explain to her that I am having a hard time explaining this to my clients, and I am realizing that it’s because it makes no sense to me. So I ask her to please clarify how this offer is being rejected.
The listing agent goes on to tell me (while sharing her frustration) that even though she knows our offer is better for the Seller, even though the homeowner knows it is better for the Seller and even though the Seller knows that the deal is better for them, the fact is that they have a contract with the homeowner and this contract says NO CLOSING COSTS. “So their contract trumps logic?” I ask “Yes” I get back…. And that’s pretty much it.
So here are my thoughts- while the whole world is searching for the reason that our economy is in the crapper, why millions of Americans are being laid off, why Real estate values are soooo down, pretty much why things suck- I have it figured out. People are smart and companies are STUPID! Every person I spoke with about this scenario recognized that it made no sense but admitted that there was NO opportunity for Human Intervention. There is no one able to go above the almighty contract and make a decision that is better for the Buyer AND the Seller.
So besides just listening to me vent about this, please allow me to break down for you the result of this stupidity, and how it affects me, you and EVERYONE who reads this.
Because of this contract that could not be worked around, the other offer submitted on this property was accepted. This means that the Seller, a MULTI BILLION DOLLAR BIG NAME PHARMACUTECAL COMPANY (whos name starts with a “P”) has accepted an offer that is netting them approximately $20,000 less than our offer. What does that mean for you and everyone else? A few things:
- This home has gone been sold to an investor and is now at a greater risk of being abandoned should that investors financial situation take a turn for the worse. For Example, I don’t live there, so why should I stretch to keep paying for it.
- The $20,000 lower sales price means that this home will now become a lower sales comp for the entire neighborhood. This means that neighbors who sell for months to come will have their home valued lower because of this sale.
- The listing agent who worked diligently to perform her duty and bring her clients the highest and best offer possible will now make less money and have less money to spend since her compensation is a function of the sales price.
- The pharmaceutical company who was at the helm of this deal has now lost an additional $20,000 on this transaction. I hope this does not come as a surprise to anyone reading this, but losses like that do not get absorbed into the massive black hole that is big pharmaceuticals. This loss will be split up a teeny tiny bit across EVERYONE who relies on the drugs that this company manufactures in the form of higher drug costs meaning there are literally millions of people who will be affected by this transaction.
Now imagine this scenario playing out thousands of times a month. Thousands of decisions being made on policy and NOT on common sense. THIS IS THE PROBLEM PEOPLE!!! The world has lost its way by refusing to allow common sense to correct a problem that is heading things in the wrong direction. Now more than ever, it is the responsibility of every individual to apply common sense in their life and their career as well as demand it of those whom are make decisions for them. Get on it people! Of course, if you disagree, please feel free to let me know 
Soapbox Out!
I’m In It, I Get It and I Teach It!
Posted by: | CommentsLast week, Realty Executives hosted its final quarterly event of the year. Pretty cool event- there’s a vendor trade show, lots of relevant break out sessions and lastly, they always offer a company wide session that is both an update on the company and industry in general as well as a class that counts towards the required continuing Education credits all Realtors need.
This last session is always headed up by John Foltz, top dog of Realty Executives Phoenix and this time featured a few minutes with Rich Rector, top dog of Realty Executives International. The class was hosted by both John Foltz and one of my personal favorites, Bill Gray of the Arizona School of Real Estate and Business. These two guys are great together, funny and informative, but more importantly, they ALWAYS leave most everyone walking away with something that is good for them- sometimes in a business sense, sometimes personal, sometimes just useful stats, but something!
This is a long set up I know, but at the class, Bill Gray after almost 20 years of doing these events with John Foltz, was asked to leave everyone there with a few words and this is what he said: “I’m in it, I get it and I teach it.” Pretty simple at first thought, but what really stuck for me was that I know lots of people in the industry who are some of that, but very few that are all of it. So what’s the point? I’m glad you asked. Here’s my take:
“I’m in it” – It amazes me how many agents I deal with who have real estate as their “other” career. I regularly have to work around other agents other jobs!! I don’t care how good you consider yourself to be, it can NOT instill confidence in any client, renter, buyer, seller, whoever, that you have to miss a call, wait to get to a fax or put off showing their home for a day or two because this is not your full time gig. I guess what I am saying is that I for example do nothing but Real Estate for work, I love it, I live it and I AM IN IT for the long haul, through ups, downs and sometimes sideways. This is the Realtor equivalent to having skin in the game. I HAVE to be good at what I do, because it’s all I do. I don’t have Home Depot, or my uncle’s restaurant or anything else to fall back on.
“I get it” – It’s one thing to work in Real Estate, it’s another thing entirely to “get” it. To truly understand the ins and outs of financing, negotiating, how the market really works, not just what you see in the news. This is connected to the whole “I’m in it” thing and this is one point where I think a lot of agents miss the boat. Getting it doesn’t mean I know everything, but you know how some of your friends get it and others are clueless in life… same deal. If you are going to be an expert at something, you have to truly understand it, you need to surround yourself with resources and other successful people who do what you do, you have to never stop learning and you have to get what is not obvious.
“I teach it” – This is by far what I think is the biggest disconnect for people. I come from a background in the automotive industry, specifically performance and repair. In the auto industry, legitimate business people rely heavily on trade secrets, proprietary shortcuts and hush hush contacts. By contrast, in Real Estate, if you are doing it right, most everything is on the table at all times. I am not talking about negotiating or offering your clients intents or wishes, I am talking about how you do what you do. In the auto world, my best customers had no idea how we could (properly) do a clutch install that books out at 5 hours in 90 minutes, and that was just the way it was. In Real Estate, a true professional educates their clients on… everything. The process, the contacts, the reasoning, the logistics- everything. I don’t inform my clients on what decisions they should make, I teach them what they need to know to make the right decision for them. It is incredibly important for your clients to trust you, and I am a firm believer that trust comes from comfort and comfort comes from being informed.
So, where was I going with all this- believe it or not, I really am not attempting to tell the world that I am the best Realtor around. I am telling the world that your Realtor, the person you are entrusting what for most people is their largest purchase, their most significant investment to, better fit the “I’m In It, I Get It And I Teach It” bill. If not, then you can give me a call
An A+ client is always an A+ client
Posted by: | CommentsSo not too recently, while cleaning out my desk (and surrounding clutter that is my office space) I came across a client list that I had printed from my previous business. Not a job, but my business that I ran with my father and brother. It was an automotive performance and repair business. On the surface, couldn’t be further from the world of real estate, not true on a deeper level that I will get into in a bit.
My wife, being the marketing, networking and just overall genius that she is suggested I start calling some of my past A+ clients to reconnect. Not all of them, just the people who were loyal to my business, referred others to me and those with whom I bridged the gap of a cold business transaction to create at least a basic friendship. At first I thought to myself- great idea, this could be a really great way to reconnect with people I enjoy and it can’t be bad for business either. Then the doubt set it. I literally went in my mind from “this will be great” to “these people are gonna wonder why the hell I am calling them” and so my list sat, collecting even more dust for longer than I could like to admit. Honestly, I am really embarrassed at just how much I had psyched myself out. I really began to think of all the reasons that this would not work. Eventually, I thought people would just figure I was looking to drum up business…. Not a good mindset at all.
So finally, after MUCH coaxing, (and a little teasing, thank you Jenn) I picked up the phone and made my first call… boom, they pick up, and long story short- Awesome call! There was friendly conversation, there was “what are you doing now”, and just to further acknowledge how bad my hesitation had hurt me, this particular client had just bought a home, less than 2 months ago, and they did not like their Realtor. OMG, I thought, that would have been my deal… if I had just gotten up the guts to make that call when I first looked at my list.
So about 15 calls later- I feel like an idiot for not doing this sooner. I have genuinely reconnected with some awesome people, and I have even gotten new business out of it. Where am I going with this clever anecdote? An A+ client really is always an A+ client. These people knew me in a completely different line of work yes, but the fundamentals from old to new business are the same. Everyone knows that car repair is right up there with door to door vacuum salesman as far as the initial level of trust goes. So to have solidly earned these peoples trust in such a tough business in the past, means that I still have it for the future.
Trust is by far the hardest thing to earn in business, more than money or success. Every day people get the “yes” from someone who doesn’t like or trust them. And while that is great for the sale, it is no not great for the business. Trust is key, and once you earn it, as long as you don’t do anything stupid, you can keep it, even with months or years in between.