Christian Real Estate Professionals : January 2011

Our real estate market in Pullman Washington is picking up activity more and more.  I know yesterday was a bit hectic with a mutually accepted offer to get to title, a luncheon, a walk through with a buyer who is getting ready to close shortly, and two new buyers back to back to look at homes.  Regardless of how hectic it is I always give each client I have my very best and full attention.  Why?  Well there are lots of reasons, including my dedication to provide the best service I possibly can.   But the first and fundamental reason is I am in THEIR  AGENT.  

What exactly is an agent?  An agent is who is  empowered to act for or represent another.  To represent that client, I need to give them my best.  It isn't always an easy task as we have many clients....but when we are with that client they are the ones we are working with. For example, I do not answer my phone unless it relates to that clients needs.  But they also know I return my calls as soon as I can.  I treat each of my clients according to the golden rule.

My clients know about agency up front.  We take the time to discuss just what real estate agency is according to the Law in Washington State on our first meeting together.    They understand my personal decision not to practice dual agency. I work for my buyers only with the only exception being if they are interested in one of my listings.  As the seller has already hired me, I am happy to show them the home but if they should be interested in that home I provide several agents that I feel will take excellent care of them to assist them through the negotiation process to close.   And most greatly appreciate that and respect that.

And I find that they build a level of trust with me as a result that better enables me to do a better job for them.  They understand my motives are to help THEM.  After all I am THEIR agent.  My heart is with them and I find as a result, their heart is with me   And for that I am truly appreciative.  I have some of the very best clients there are here in Pullman.  And I am thankful that many of them chose to stay in touch as I miss them once they get settled into their new homes.  Thank goodness for facebook!

For more information about Lori see her profiles at: Lori Cofer's Businessweek profile; Lori Cofer's Google profile; Lori Cofer's Lookup Page and Lori Cofer's Naymz profile.  Feel free to read her helpful articles on New Construction in Pullman WA; Info about Pullman WA; More Helpful Info about Pullman WA; Info About the Pullman WA schools Info About the Pullman-Moscow Bill Chipman Trail; Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Curb Appeal For Sellers; Five Tips on Buying Your New Pullman Home; More Tips for Buyers; and Tips on Building Your New Custom Pullman WA Home.

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About Lori Cofer Find my Pullman dream home What is my home worth? Help me relocate! Contact Lori Cofer

 

 

Ever since November, we've been busier at our company than we have been in years.  November was my best sales/income month since 2007, and it appears as though February will be even better.

I'm hopeful that the market in Austin will continue its upward trend this year (and beyond).  Typically, we don't see this much buying activity in the winter.  Even since I can remember, the market begins to pick up in February.  Instead, I find myself with multiple daily appointments with clients.  I've hired a handful of new agents at Austin Texas Homes, LLC, and I'm looking to expand further this year. 

I guess it just plain feels good to be truly busy again, with buyers and sellers both.  I sense that there's a lot of pent-up demand for housing, as many people waited on the sidelines or chose to rent while waiting for other properties to sell.  Our market took longer to turn south than most areas of the country, and it seems like it's rebounding earlier as well (at least I hope that's the case). 

Having been through a couple of downturns in my career, especially with this particular rough patch, I feel more prepared to handle the good times.  If/when I get back to the income level I had in 2006, I am confident that our family will be able to save (and likely give away) a good deal of money.  At a company level, I am prepared to invest more in our marketing and brand-building going forward. 

After meeting recently with my business partner, we identified three strategies that I think could take our real estate business to an entirely new level.  I can't share any of them here, however, since they're just too darn good and creative.  :)

What's your market like right now?  I've heard anecdotal evidence that other markets are also improving.  What do you see?

Sometimes it's not what we say that is most meaningful, but how we act...!!!

Over the years I have tried hard to become a good listener...

Yes, I sensed early on that I was guilty of faulty communication...I would be thinking of what I was going to say next, rather than listening to what was being said...

When I learned that it was not so important what a person says, but rather the way they act, it became easier to be a good listener, because then I didn't invite the stress of having to perform by saying ‘just the right words'...

It is something that takes a lot of practice, but when improved becomes very worthwhile...

Practice listening this weekend...It will be worth the effort...

Have a great weekend...!!!

Last year, I blogged about this topic with solid results.  I hope to do so again.  If so, I can help out a good cause and my daughter at the same time.  

If you live in the general Austin area, let me know if you would like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies.  My 9-year-old daughter Aleah is selling them for the second time, and she wants to sell enough cookies this time around to win a tent.

If you buy at least three boxes ($10.50 or more, as they are $3.50 per box), and you live/work in the Austin metro area, my daughter and I will deliver them to you at your home or office (your choice).  

As a longtime salesperson, I am of the opinion that this could help Aleah to hone her burgeoning sales skills.  If you're nice, we might even hang out awhile.  :)  If you live outside of Austin, keep reading below.  

By the way, I already know what you're asking yourself.  YES!  They are still just as delicious as you remember them.  In fact, you might be doing my waistline a service by getting them out of my house.  They are really, really good, and I don't want to gain back any of the 56 pounds I lost this past year.  

if you want to support our cookie sales efforts, but you are:

• worried about your diet
• too far away, OR
• a crazy person who doesn't like the taste of the cookies

I have another idea for you.

It's called "Operation Cookie Drop". Basically, you donate $3.50 for each box of cookies, and they will be delivered to our troops overseas.

Cool, huh?

I have already bought and consumed cookies myself, but I think I may just go ahead and donate some extra money for this very special cause.

Here are a handful of benefits:

• You can keep your girlish (or boyish) figure intact
• You are directly helping our troops
• You are benefitting the Girl Scouts
• I will like you even more than I already do

Perhaps best of all, the donation is tax deductible!

In an effort to make it easier, you can pay via PayPal (any amount in $3.50 increments) by sending the money to our account at jasonpam@swbell.net. We will then write a check for the total and provide a receipt for your tax records if you like.

If you would like to pay by check (minimum donation of $14), you can make it out to "GSCTX" or "Girl Scouts of Central Texas" and mail it to my office at 3636 Executive Center Drive, #210, Austin, TX 78731. 

Help me demonstrate the power of social media and blogging.  :)  They also make great gifts. 

Feel free to re-blog or spread the word in any way you prefer.  

Thanks!

Do You Know Anyone With a BADD Attitude?

No that's not a typo. I have friends that have BADD.  Business Attention Deficit Disorder.  They cannot stay focussed on what their goals are for their business. 

They are always off on some side trip, chasing some new gimmick that's supposed to make them smarter, quicker, wittier, more efficient, sexier, more beautiful or handsome as the case may be, and utlimately richer. 

Now granted there are some really good things out there that can help you accomplish your goal.. Active Rain is one of those if you are in any part of the real estate business.

BUT there's a lot of things for sale that are just that...for sale... made to sell... they are for sale to make the seller wealthier, not necessarily you.

Stay Focused.  Decide where you want to go and then how you're going to get there.  If something new comes along, evaluate it carefully.. will it really help you accomplish your business goals or is it designed to accomplish the business goals of the person selling it and you're just more cell of protoplasm for them to gobble up. 

BADD -  Business Attention Deficit Disorder.. If you have it, there's only one cure and you have it right between your ears.  Use it.

If being on Auto-Focus doesn't work for you.. put youself on Manual Focus.. check those goals every day and make sure that  your future goal that you are trying to get to has been brought into focus for day to day activities, manually check your to-do list and activities... make sure that long term goals are in focus with day to day stuff because the days turn into weeks, the weeks into months, and before you know it, time-wise you will be where you had planned to be but goal wise you missed it.. 

Do Not Develop BADD.

 

This blog post was originally posted at Integrity Real Estate Services Blog.

Looking for a home for sale in Idabel, Oklahoma?  Let me Google that for you. 

 

 

Judi Barrett, B.S. Edu.,

Broker, Integrity Real Estate Services, Office Address:  RR 5 BOX 126, IDABEL, OK 74745  580-212-5946

Our Name Says It All.
Real Estate Services You Can Trust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Real Estate Services

Our name says it all.

 

Visit our website to view listings in Southeast Oklahoma, including both Choctaw County and McCurtain County Oklahoma

 

 

For over one hour I listened to a terrific orator present a failed attempt at painting a rosy picture for the current state of our union.

While the pundits debated over whether the touch phrase of the speech was ‘a sputnik moment' or ‘we need to do big things' or ‘winning the future'...I was thinking more of how the current state of our union was misrepresented when the President suggested it ‘was strong'...

To me, that phrase indicates we are a Country in denial...A Country that needs a ‘twelve step program' to solve its problems...

Now, there are none who would deny that the state of our union stinks...even though I personally haven't been hurt by the over 5 year long economic contraction as much as others I know, nevertheless, I can easily sense that many around me are hurting...

Unless and until we own up to the present realities of our economic condition, we will remain powerless to fix it...you have to admit a problem exists before you can effectively tackle correcting the problem...

I actually heard a person say, after listening to the President's message, that unemployment has declined since Obama took office...Every thing I read supports the total opposite...

Unemployment has risen, more jobs seem to be threatened in the future as companies reduce their workforces to stay afloat in our anemic growth economy, debt, both personal and  corporate, is mounting, property values continue to fall, school districts as well as many state economies budgets are in trouble...

How can we turn a blind eye to all these realities that tell me that the state of our union is anything but ‘strong'...

Don't get me wrong, I'm still an eternal optimist with the Christian hope that God will help us get out of this mess...

But first we must take that initial step that all recovering in twelve step programs must take...

Admit we have a problem, believe that a greater power than Yankee ingenuity is necessary to resolve it, and don't return to solutions that failed to work in the past...

Then, and only then, will our nation be on the right road to economic growth and fiscal stability...!!!  

Maybe the liberals out there ought to listen to or read some tea leaves...!!!

I've received this question many times from buyer clients that I'm helping, most recently in an email, so I thought it would be a good idea to cover this in a post. Whenever I write up an offer for a home, there are dozens of questions that come up during the process before we even submit the paperwork to the listing agent.  This particular question typically arises after we've parted ways and everything is signed.

So, is it a good idea to place a "fuse" on your offer, forcing a quick response? 

In my humble opinion, it's rarely necessary to do so, although I can understand arguments in favor of this strategy. 

My normal response is this: You certainly can restrict the timing for acceptance by forcing the seller to respond quickly (e.g. "Seller to respond by 5pm Tuesday, January 25th, or this offer is void."), but I feel that it comes across as pushy in most cases, since a typical seller is probably sufficiently motivated to respond within 24 hours regardless, unless they're traveling or experiencing a crisis of some sort.

With that in mind, give some thought to the message it sends when you opt to place a deadline on any offer.  It might set the wrong tone during negotiations and during the entire process, depending on the personality of the seller.  It also could come across as a little desperate, or weaken the offer and your leverage.  Patience is your friend when it comes to negotiating.

There are really only two instances which immediately come to mind under which I would counsel someone to use a deadline approach:

• You're pretty sure that there's another offer on its way (or more than one)
• You have very limited time to choose a home, and there's a solid backup house in mind that you don't want to lose while you wait for a response

I suppose you could add a third category here if the listing agent is notoriously slow to present offers based on your agent's prior experience, but I've only had that happen once to me in 14 years of full-time sales.

The longest I've ever had to wait for an initial response was 3+ days, which was maddening for my clients, frankly, but also exceptionally rare overall. 

Since the other question I hear often is, "When do you think we'll hear something about the offer?", I should probably address that here as well.  As a guideline, if I send an offer in the morning, it's possible to hear something the same day, if the agent is able to get in touch and present it quickly.  If I present an offer to the listing agent during evening hours, we'll probably hear back sometime the next day, either with a response or with clarification questions, etc.  If it's a weekend, I typically tell my clients to expect to hear back by Monday.

I hope this helps!  Let me know if you're looking to buy or sell a home anywhere in the Austin metro area.  I would love the chance to help you find the right place.

Thanks for reading!

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jon_knox/4721752902

Real Estate...It is What It is...Or is It?

Most folks in the real estate business have realized over the past 3 years that our business isn't what it used to be--the rules have changed and so have our individual business strategies.  Those who are 'in-the-know' realize that in this everchanging real estate climate, we must no longer just 'keep up with the Joneses' but, rather stay at least a step ahead.

In recent weeks, my listing activity has picked up considerably--not so much in sales but, semi-serious buyers who are interested in getting that '50% off' deal that they've heard so much about.  Their agents bemoan the fact that they can't seem to locate those deals for these clients and we eventually get off track to the 'how's your business?' conversation.  I'm always surprised by so many agents saying things like, "Well, it's not what it used to be in '05!" or "I've certainly gotten alot of my own home projects accomplished these last two years!"

When I ask them what they're doing to survive, they seem to all have the same mindset, "It is what it is!"  They truly feel that there's nothing that they can do about their own business; their company is going down the tubes and they're cleaning out their garage and painting their windows, adding on a screened porch and the like!  They're perfectly comfortable in the 'It is what it is' mindset.

I truly don't mean to imply that I don't respect these agents at all; some of them are favorite agents with whom I've worked in the past and they just don't have any earthly idea how to get their businesses going again.  They're not in 'research mode!'  Of course, many of them aren't using the internet as most ActiveRain members are but, what is so surprising to me is that they've basically put their businesses on standby for a few years.

During their time on standby, lending has changed, the way we do business in general has even changed; many of us have become masters at short sales (or so we say!) and it seems that we're in a perpetual virtual classroom.  How could one possibly catch up in this dynamic, ever-evolving business and learning environment?  

Recently spending a few days at the hospital with my hubby, I've not been able to spend the time taking webinars or reading NEARLY as many AR posts (which is where I often hear about some of our industry changes) and I ALREADY feel a little out-of-the-loop!  I cannot imagine playing catch-up after the changes during the last three years.  

I often wonder if other non-real estate business owners just allow their businesses to be on 'stand-by' for a few years.  I can't possibly imagine that a business owner would do just that.

Yes, in real estate...It is what it is...but, there's something very important that seems to have been forgotten:  The only constant is change in our business.

Are you rolling with punches or lagging behind, waiting for a return to normalcy?  If you're doing the latter, you may soon be lagging so far behind that you'll never catch up!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Carolinas Medical Center Brings UNC School of Medicine to Charlotte

Charlotteans are over-joyed at the prospect of expansion of more medical positions for the area. The University of North Carolina (UNC) System has formally approved establishing a branch campus of the UNC School of Medicine in fall, 2011 at Carolinas Medical Center (CMC), a division of Carolinas Healthcare System.  The University will initially bring 12 new third- and fourth-year students to Carolinas Medical Center for clinical rotations. 

CMC, the southeast's largest Level I Trauma Center, has committed to spending $4 million to build classroom and administrative space as the first of four phases of the expansion process.  The cash-strapped Chapel Hill-based medical school has plans for a $68 million, 110,000-square-foot facility on the hospital campus.  This cost-effective way to start a medical school in the largest city in the nation without one is exciting to the residents of Charlotte, whose largest employer is CMC's parent company, Carolinas Healthcare System.

Carolinas Medical Center has, for more than 50 years, provided medical training for residents.  The hospital-based teaching practice is grounded in the tradition and experience of the residency programs as well as the absolute latest in scientific medical advances and state-of-the art operating room, pediatric, obstetrics and intensive care equipment and training.  CMC also has a decades-long partnership with the UNC School of Medicine, from which many of their residents complete their university work.

The plan to bring a branch of one of the nation’s top medical schools to Charlotte has been in the making for years.  Medicare covers the bulk of funding for most residencies, but that government funding has been frozen nationwide since 1997.  Together UNC and CMC have a plan that will finally bring a long awaited, top medical training program toCharlotte.  Best of luck to the first class of students arriving in the fall!

Source:  Charlotte Business Journal

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

You have a STORY. Everyone does. You were created for the glory of God.

Your creation has a purpose.

When you step outside yourself and begin to live the story you were created for, you become the STORY you were created for.

We run a business. There's always a business and mission side to your business. Through every business transaction (including those that didn't end up with a closed transaction), there is a chapter of YOUR STORY.

On the other side, your client has his/her STORY too. How will both your STORIES jive today, tomorrow and a long time from today? Something to think about.

Keeping it simple and short on this Sunday God First post today.

Scripture of the Week:

He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ

Isaiah 43: 7

I begin my week here on Active Rain with my God First posts, written every Sunday once a week. My promise to you is that the messages I share will be day-to-day related, often times related to real estate. If these topics are important to you also, I'd love for you to subscribe to my blog.

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