No such luck…

First and foremost, Happy  Fathers Day to all our Fathers. Yes I know it was yesterday, but this is Monday and I didn’t want to miss all of our Fathers.

I have a head banger today, but this goes for almost everyday in our real estate lives.  My son, who is a Broker associate has a transaction in process – It is an AS-IS with inspections.  A considerable deposit is escrowed in a title company. My son is the listing agent and the agent of the Buyer doesn’t speak any English, but no problem, we have a translator.  So going down the road, we have an effective date and the clock is ticking.  The Buyer’s agent is not fulfilling any of the due diligence in reference to the contract.  We go to the closing date, and multiple times we ask for the aspects of the contract to be fulfilled but no such luck. We have tried to contact the Broker and the Manager of the Buyer’s agent’s company….no answer, multiple calls, emails, no answer and at this point the Seller hires an attorney.  In the midst of this the emails sent to the Buyer’s agent’s Broker and Manager are now being kicked back and labeled as spam.  They don’t want to be involved. I can hear many of you suck in your breath, as you know full well the Broker is responsible for his/her agents.  Welcome to my world. How sad as if this is going to go the way I suspect, the Buyers are going to lose their deposit and it all boils down to their agent and the agent’s Broker for not training or keeping track of all transactions.  In fact the Buyer’s agent made the statement, not to call my Broker as he is not involved.

So my fellow Realtors, be kind to each other and hopefully someday we can rid our industry of people like this, and I will have less dents in my head.

Until Next Monday…

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After all my head banging last week…

After all my head banging last week, I had an amazing end of the week as I attended Florida Realtors District Four Conference in Key West.  Various topics were discussed. Most important was the contract and interpretation of the FAR/BAR AS-IS.

Addendum usage is important – let’s say you have a separate Appraisal addendum attached, it overrides the main body of the contract. Many agents either don’t know this or just don’t read.  Loan approval is another that was discussed.  You have to specify what kind of loan, i.e. conventional, FHA, VA or whatever, because if your Buyer gets a loan approval and is not what’s  specified in the contract, your Buyer either has to close with that type of loan or possibly forfeit their deposit.

Remember, buying a home is the largest investment most people make in their lifetime, so make sure you understand every aspect of whichever contract you use. Your customers are your biggest source of referrals.

As always be respectful and good to each other.

Until Next Monday…

Back to the head pounding, ranting and general raving…

Yes…I know I screwed up last Monday, I did a blog and thought I saved it but
did not.  However, know that I reminded everyone to  say silent prayers for those that served and paid the ultimate price.  If it weren’t for them, none of us could do what we do everyday.

 

 

Back to the head pounding, ranting and general raving. I have a first time home buyer, who actually tries to help me do my job.  He rides up and down the neighborhoods he likes and sends me addresses with For Sale signs.  Of course some are way out of his price range but nevertheless, I appreciate his help.  My problem here is: no one returns your calls, texts and I even thought to use a carrier pigeon.  I try to desperately to be polite, but after all, I just want to shoot them to put me out of my misery. If I call or text ten (10) agents,  I am not calling them Realtors, I am lucky to get one call back.  I have figured out that it takes me at least 4 texts or calls, (and I am semi groveling and nauseatingly polite) when I want to call them the vilest names I know.  I just want a return, call, text or whatever it is they do to communicate.

So my fellow Realtors, please be kind to each other, be courteous, be professional…and remember to return calls and texts.

Until Next Monday…

There’s no place like home!

What an amazing week of meetings in our Nation’s Capitol, but it sure does feel good to back home.  The last several days in Washington DC made me think of my profession as more than listing and selling houses.  As REALTORS®, we sell homes every day and sometimes we take what we do as a matter of everyday work.  We are providing a place of security, love, building a family, educating children, a peaceful haven and so much more.  It was amazing the feelings that I took away from these meetings. More education, more introspection, more emotion and much more pride in my fellow REALTORS® in what we do every day.

I’m reminded of that famous line from the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy clicks her heels together and says, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home“.  Yes, it was an amazing week in DC but I agree with Dorothy…There is no place like home!

Let’s be extra kind to each other.  Let’s all carry the “no place like home” feeling with us every day!

Until Next Monday…

EXCLUDE is the word for today

MLS states that all the appliances that stay with the property, plus many Realtors also add the items that are EXCLUDED! Now myself and my customer/Buyer view a listing that is owned by a Realtor, Owner of her own company, (added that pertinent piece of info as we ASSUME that the Broker of record knows more than an agent). There are top of the line appliances and a really beautiful antique silver chandelier.  My customer loves the property and the offer is tendered and accepted.  Inspections are done, all is well, and now we are doing our walk thru right before closing and I see the chandelier is missing!  So, big mouth that I am, I ask politely….”where is it?”  The Seller says, “It’s my mother’s great grandmother’s aunt’s chandelier (that’s a mouthful) that’s been passed
down” and with that she looks at me. And the horrible person that I am, says, “it is not excluded so where is it and it belongs here.”  And I look at her, to which she brings the box in from her car and leaves it in the property. We find out later as the Seller left the receipt in the box and  that it was a year old and where she bought it, and the receipt described it perfectly.  So my fellow Realtors, EXCLUDE is the word for today, so to save yourself and your customers a lot of aggravation, always ask as you take a listing if the Seller has anything that they want to exclude from the sale.  I have heard stories of brand new appliances swapped out for used ones and even some types of landscaping taken prior to closing! What a wonderful world real estate is!

Until Next Monday…

An unbroken chain of events

Ok all you Cinco de Mayo-ans ( probably screwed that up), put aside your margaritas, mai tais, or whatever just for a minute) help me out here with…Probable Cause.

I believe, and trust me that is a far push, that probable cause is an unbroken chain of events. However, proving it is something else entirely.  Let’s say I have a Buyer that emails me and asks to see a property….(not a listing of mine) and we go thru the ritual of back and forth and multiple showings for multiple properties and one is found.  In the meantime during the showings, I relayed the name and address of a mortgage broker who was in the process of working up a pre-approval with no problem.  All of a sudden the Buyer is not returning my texts or calls, and I learn that an offer was made with the Buyers names but with another Realtor (I hate to use that term as we do, as last checked are supposed to subscribe to the code of ethics, oh well I think ethics in this case are flying in the wind), for the same property that the Buyers had indicated they liked. I also learn that after the transaction was closed and that on the closing statement, half of the selling side of the commission was credited to the Buyer, not that this is wrong but would you think that is an inducement to use certain licensees (that’s what I am calling them now, as I refuse to call them Realtors)? Your thoughts?

So my fellow Realtors, I do so appreciate all your comments on my sometimes wacky blogs, in fact I look forward to them as many times you have a different perspective on a situation.  Be careful out there and be good to each other.

Until Next Monday…

Deal Breakers

Deal Breakers! We have all heard the term.  I am sure after reading this little bit, you have several flashing through your mind.  Price, location, paint color…yes, paint color, believe it or not.  These are some of the few, that can become a horror show down the road.  So how do you overcome these deal breakers?  First, last and foremost, prepare your Buyer or Seller.  Most Realtors I have encountered, just immediately start showing or advertising property, they believe that no other preparation is needed.  Just get it: get it listed, get it shown, get it closed, whether it be a buy or sell.

Your customers need education unless they have bought multiple pieces of real estate and are considered very educated in the real estate world.  So price, location, condition, financing, inspections, even paint color can be explained in the education process of the Buyer or Seller’s world.  The more you educate your customers, the easier the process becomes and you, the Realtor, become the expert in the entire process.  And there is the basis of a great referral business.  So my fellow Realtors, become the expert your customers need in making the largest investment in their lives, and along the way be good to each other.

Until Next Monday…

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