WHY OFFER BUYERS AGENTS A BONUS FOR A FULL PRICE OFFER?  Do you ever see listings in your MLS with this information.  Every once in awhile we will have a listing here at Lake Anna with this little tid-bit in the remarks.  I can see that might be an incentive to a sub-agent of the listing agent and it certainly something that a dual agent might like to have, but a buyer agent???

Seriously, how can a buyer agent be tempted by an offer like that?  After all, as buyer agents our responsibility is to try to get the best sale price, along with other favorable conditions, for our client.  Full disclosure means that I have to say there have been a few, and that means very few, times that I have written a full price offer.  Multiple offers is one instance where I might suggest that.

How comfortable would you be revealing to your client that you are suggesting they write a full price offer and it really has nothing to do with the fact that it is the only way you would receive this bonus?  How believeable would that be to your client?

It really puzzles me when I see that type of bonus.  

• Is this something that sellers think of or do some listing agents suggest it?
   
• Have you ever offered it on one of your listings?  If so, why?  
   
• Have you ever received a bonus like this while representing the buyer?  What were the circumstances?

Put your thinking caps on while reading this post by Alan May, It Ain't Always as Cut & Dry as You Might Think.  It got me wondering what steps to take if, as a buyer's agent, I found myself in this situation here at Lake Anna.  You might want to think about how you would handle this situation also.  

In fact it has inspired me to write a post to see if we can come up with effective solutions to this problem.  If you have any please share them on my next post.

The photos below depict the general flyer that I provide for the exterior of the homes I have listed.  As this one has been rented for a number of years I have not included a letter from the owners which shares their feelings about their home.  That letter might cover what attracted them to the home in the first place, things they did to enhance it, why they selected Lake Anna, etc.

The home that is the subject of this flyer has gone through a huge transformation.  It has been renovated from top to bottom including the interior completely painted, new flooring throughout, new appliances, and a number of other things that have definitely changed the appearance and liveability for the better.  It is now a very appealing home.

My flyers for the inside differ from the one shown here.  They consist of the cover sheet, the photo sheets, a plat, possible letter from seller, property disclosure form,  and a feature page.  I do not include the listing sheet with the pricing as I seek to have clients call for that information.  There is always the possibility that it will not be in their price range and I use that opportunity to talk to the caller about other available homes that are less expensive.  If it is in their price range then an appointment is hopefully made to look at my listing.

"I am writing this post as an entry to the ActiveRain/Kodak Sign/Flyer Challenge and have a chance to win the Kodak ESP 6150 All-In-One Printer and ink!"

I am constantly reminded of how important our yard signs are in my area.  We are a smaller community around Lake Anna and often I have people, some I know and some when I meet them for the first time, tell me how often they see my signs around the lake.  Yard signs are still gold in my neighborhood.

Recently I had some new signs made.  Completely new design and I picked them up but have not had a chance to drive around changing out my signs.  I'm having second thoughts about them.  I'm not as excited about them as I thought I would be.  However, here is what the new signs look like.

Now whose sign is that?

I was trying to achieve a design that would encourage a prospective buyer to contact me, therefore my web site and my cell phone number.  The QR code is for my web site also.  I always prepare "outdoor" flyers for houses and they are attached to the sign post.  I will write about those in a separate post.  I also do them for waterfront lots but generally do not for the access lots unless they have a water view.

I think it's back to the drawing board. My name can certainly be a bit smaller (I've never had a sign with my name so big before) and I would like my company logo to be larger. Using orange for my phone number is something I might consider.

I'll have to ask my friends for their advice. If anyone here would like to give me their opinion I would welcome it.

Meanwhile I will use these and am confident that I will still hear, "I see your signs everywhere." Those words are music to my ears.

"I am writing this post as an entry to the ActiveRain/Kodak Sign/Flyer Challenge and have a chance to win the Kodak ESP 6150 All-In-One Printer and ink!"

REAL ESTATE...ROLLER COASTER, MERRY-GO-ROUND, or BOTH?  Some time ago (back in January) I read a post by Loreena Yeo.  Now if you are a subscriber to Loreena and have read many of her posts as I have you will realize what an organized, competent professional she is.

In that post Loreena told us how she was searching for her sanity.  Sound familiar?  Have you been there?  There sure have been times I was.  However, there are some members that give you the feeling that they are composed and on top of their tasks unlike the rest of us.  I said "feeling that they are" because I have been in the business for enough years to know that it can not be true 100% of the time.

Why not?  Is it that real estate is a mix of being on a roller coaster and a merry-go-round?  You are running around with too much business one minute and not enough the next minute.  While other times we are going in circles doing some tasks such as showing the same clients the same type homes over and over again.  It's what they want but they are reluctant to commit.

No matter how hard we try to keep things at a more even keel real estate is a business that has its own rhythm, its own beat.  As much as we may like being in "control" there is just so much control that we can exert over others.  We cannot push buyers into buying and we should never even try.  We cannot force owners to list their homes with us nor should we try to.

Unlike the rides at the fair, sometimes it seems as though our rides will never end.  The roller coaster is nonstop and the merry-go-round becomes part of our day to day existence.

So if you feel overwhelmed at times, and underwhelmed with the amount of business you have, please do not feel that you are alone.  Many, many of us go through these ups and downs right along with you.  Accept that real estate is a ride...fun and exciting but it can make you feel queasy at times.

Do I want to get off?  No.  Real Estate is too exhilarating...that is, if you like challenges.  Luckily I do.  Hope you like what you do too.

Real estate is a team sport!   Try playing it alone and you'll quickly learn you are playing a losing game.  True some homes are bought and sold strictly between the seller and buyer, however most properties are sold using the services of a real estate company.

When this is done there are so many players on the team and keeping everyone at the top of their game is very important. Not only are there many players sometimes we, as real estate agents, even switch positions. Their are times our assigned position is Listing Agent.  We are then representing the seller.  When we are the Selling Agent we are positioned to help the Buyer.

No matter which position we are assigned, we need the services of many others. 

Listed below are the players generally involved in these transactions.  Depending on the nature of the transaction their may be others. These are the players that typically perform the jobs needed to win the game.

• Appraisers
  
• Attorneys
  
• Buyers
  
• Buyers agent (aka Selling Agent)
  
• Home Inspectors
  
• Llisting Agents
  
• Mortgage Lenders
  
• Property Owners Associations
  
• Radon Inspectors
  
• Radon Mitigators
  
• Sellers
  
• Settlement Companies
  
• Well/Septic/Termite Inspectors

We all know what it takes for a team to win. It requires team work and team spirit. Everyone has to have the same goal in mind...to make it happen.

It also takes leaders.  We know the value of the quarterback and  the point guard.  They coach the team in the midst of play.  Agents can be those leaders, in the forefront setting the tone and aiding their clients from play to play.

As an agent are you able to be a team player or do you only want to go it alone?

Like every team sport, there are winners and losers.  There are times the transaction does not close. There's no win. Nevertheless, every player shoulld come away feeling they had done everything they could to make it work.

When the game is lost Sellers, Buyers, Listing Agents, and Buyers Agents pick up the pieces.  Once that's done they are usually ready to play again. 

For the commited agents, the game is definitely in their blood.

Be honest...are people really people to you or are they $$$ signs? 

• Does everyone represent a possible deal to you?
    
• Do you meet someone new and immediately wonder if they are in need of your "expertise"?
   
• Do you see $$$ signs or do you think of them as someone you find interesting?
   
  
  • Someone you might like to get to know better?
     
    
  • Someone that you seem to have a number of things in common with?
     
    
  • Someone that instantly puts you at ease?
    
    
• Do you usually have any interest in creating an ongoing relationship or only a "deal"?
  

Throughout the years I have been in real estate I have noticed that there are folks that seem to fall into two camps.  There are some that give the impression that they think about real estate 24/7 and everything they do is focused on the bottom line.  Then there are others that look at our profession not only as a means to earn a livelihood (even in these days some of us are able to do that) but also as an opportunity to provide a service.

Only you know which you are and why.

WE ARE OFTEN TOLD THAT OUR ATTITUDE WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.  It will determine how well we do in real estate and in other areas of our lives as well.  What are you doing to make sure you have the best attitude possible?

We often read and are told about the many things that are important if we are going to be successful.  Among the things we learn is how important it is to:

• Be flexible
• BLOG
• Keep our web sites fresh and informative
• Know our markets inside and out
• Be prepared to discuss real estate at a moment's notice
• Be current on pending and recently passed legislation on the local, state, and national level and how it may or may not affect our local market
• Answer all calls and e-mails from clients, prospects, fellow REALTORS® and everyone else as quickly as possible
• Focus solely on our clients when we are with them (take no phone calls, do not Twitter, etc.)
• Adhere to our Code of Ethics
• Remain in contact with prior clients and our sphere of influence
• Organize our contacts and stay in touch with them (you never know when they will be ready to buy)
• Keep our names and our faces in front of buyers and sellers in our market area
• Know the best places to advertise
• Know the means we used to attract our clients
• Develop goals both short term and long term
• Be aware of how we are doing in implementing means to achieve our goals
• Monitor if we are attaining our goals or hopefully passing them by
• Be sure to have a budget and are sticking to it
• Attend not just the required continuing education classes but additional ones as well to be better informed
• Keep abreast of changes in the financial markets and how it affects real estate

These are just some of the things we need to do.  There are many, many others.  If you would like to add to my list, please feel free to do so in your comment.

However, one of the most important things we need to do in order to be effective at doing all of the others is to be healthy.  That may mean staying healthy or it could mean become healthy.  For this to happen, we need to establish healthy eating, exercise and sufficient rest.

Being sufficiently rested prepares us to forge ahead and to do it with the right attitude.  Remember attitude counts.  People can tell if you like what you are doing or not.

We are inundated with information on the need to exercise and to maintain a healthy diet.  Many of us must also think in terms of how much rest we give ourselves.   Yes, it is a gift that we give ourselves.

Are you getting the rest, and that means down time as well as sleep time, to be equipped to be the best you can be?

Think about it and if you are not taking enough time for this seriously consider giving yourself the time beginning now.  You may find that you become more successful and have a better time doing it than you thought possible. 

 ______________________________________________________________
If it's about real estate, ask KATE

540-226-1964 cell

lakeanna.kate@gmail.com

lakeannacountry.com

lakeanna-realestate.com (Blog)

In January I received a call from someone that currently had his home on the market.  The listing was going to expire the end of February and I was asked if I would be interested in listing it after it expired.  I replied that the house was priced too high but that yes I was interested in working with the owners.

The caller's name sounded very familiar to me and I was certain that I had worked with him and his wife  briefly some time ago.  Sure enough, he told me that back in the Spring of 2004 they had spoken with me and I had been very helpful.  Fortunately, I had sent out mass e-mails now and again as well as just listed and just sold cards which helped them remember me.  

Tip:  Do not remove anyone from your contact list unless they request you to.  Who knows when they may need a REALTOR®.

Back in 2004 they bought a waterfront lot directly from a devleoper.  They then had a home built and when they decided to put it on the market they went with the real estate company that belonged to the builder's family.

Now they were turning to me to help them.  Living abroad made it essential that they have someone at Lake Anna that would remain in touch with them and advise them of changes in the market.  That I did immediately and we agreed on a substantially lower listing price.

We have had the house on the market since March 1 and have recently received a contract.  We are in negotiations right now.  Time will tell how that turns out.

The purpose of this post is to remind all of you that the time you take to help someone may be rewarded way after the fact.  Our rewards are not always instantaneous.  The good feelings that I felt when I was told many years later that they had been impressed with my abilities and my helpfulness back in 2004 was a pleasant and unexpected reward. 

No wonder I feel great about being a REALTOR®.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property at or near Lake Anna, Virginia please contact Kathleen "Kate" Elim, REALTOR®.

Kate lives at Lake Anna, knows Lake Anna, loves Lake Anna, and specializes in Lake Anna area real estate.

Contact Kate at 540-226-1964 or by e-mail at lakeanna.kate@gmail.com.  Be sure to check Kate's Web site http://lakeannacountry.com/.

One of the tenets of being a professional REALTOR® is knowing your market.

How can someone possibly help their client buy a property in an area that is unknown to them 75-100 miles away in a very different environment?

I often ask myself this question when I receive calls from agents some distance away asking for information on property here at Lake Anna.  They have never been here and yet plan to work with clients interested in buying at the lake. 

One day I received a request from an assistant to a "high producing" Northern Virginia agent.  I was asked to do a CMA for Lake Anna.  Lake Anna is 17 miles long with over 250 miles of shoreline and pproximately 120 subdivisions.  We sell waterfront homes, water view homes, access homes, waterfront lots, water view lots, and water access lots with or without assigned boat slips.

Would you like to do such a Comparative Market Analysis?  Would it tell you very much?  Would you be able to help your clients with this information?

I suggested to the assistant that I would be very happy to accept a referral.  That seemed like the logical step to me.  The assistant said the agent preferred to work with her own client.

Who's best interest was paramount on that agent's mind?

When I first became an agent I worked in Northern Virginia.  I had been living there for several years and there was still quite a learning curve getting to know the area.  It is huge.  My office was located in what is known as inside the beltway, fairly close to D.C.  It was the area where many people chose to start their search for a home.  At that time most of the jobs where in D.C. or close in.  Little by little we would venture further out when they realized they were able to buy much more home for the money.

After moving to Lake Anna I experienced another learning curve.  This time I had to learn about the lake.  Lake Anna has it's own story.  Then I had to learn about surveys, septic systems (alternative and conventional), about wells (drilled and bored), the building permit process, and other things that were more unique to Lake Anna.  Just getting to know where the nearest towns and shopping areas were as well as medical resources and schools took some time.

There definitely is a case to be made for referrals and they do not necessarily have to be just across state lines or outside a MLS.

Do you provide the best service for your clients even when that may mean not working with them? 

Please think about that the next time someone tells you they are interested in an area you do not know.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property at or near Lake Anna, Virginia please contact Kathleen "Kate" Elim, REALTOR®.

Kate lives at Lake Anna, knows Lake Anna, loves Lake Anna, and specializes in Lake Anna area real estate. 

Contact Kate at 540-226-1964 or lakeanna.kate@gmail.com. Be sure to check Kate's Web site http://lakeannacountry.com/.

Copyright © 2008 By Kathleen "Kate" Elim, All Rights Reserved. *Should REALTORS® Actually Know the Areas They Sell?*.