HEY! Respect My ‘Housework’, PLEASE!

August 28th, 2007 Columbus Seller Info, It's My Opinion, The Bad 6 Comments

(Also known as… How A**holes Blow Off Good Realtors)

I’m a Good Realtor. I complete lots of sales (experience), have happy clients, take ongoing Continuing Ed classes, get involved in the Realtor community with committees, etc. etc.  

I ALSO communicate well, get back to people quickly whenever they have a need I can help with, know the market very well, and can give you all kinds of stats and details on that home you’re thinking about buying.

All this has an end goal and hope of: Getting a Paycheck. Since there are limited hours in each day, and there is NO paycheck until everyone crosses the Finish Line at the closing (that’s called straight commission, folks), as a Good Realtor I have to choose who I’m going to spend my time with. If I choose Wisely, I get to eat and pay my bills.

Which leads me to the situation a few times this year where I’ve had to tell people that “I’m not able to meet your needs, and wish you well in your search to find a Realtor who can do so.”  That’s Professional Talk for: You’re Fired. Since I want to eat and pay my bills, I need to find another person who can fill that need without pain and anguish.

Now…. THOSE of the ‘Difficult Persuation’ (see the subtitle above) are usually ADAMANT they WANT a Good Realtor- it’s the best for them, yessir-ee. And there’s the dilemna…  Good Realtors are able to find clients that are a pleasure to work with, and could kick that A**hole to the curb.

Here are several ways to accelerate that curb-kicking:

1. Tell that agent you absolutely, positively have to see that house tomorrow at 6 PM.  Let him/her do back flips to get the showing, miss dinner with the kids… then not show up.  When the agent calls you, say “Oh? Was that today?  I’ve had a bad day… I can’t make it.” 

2. Make an internet query, where the realtor responds quickly via email, asking for details on what you’re looking for, asking if he can help, and leaving all contact information. Respond via email- don’t give him any information, just express your extreme disappointment he didn’t call you immediately… and then give him a deadline to call before you look elsewhere.  (Here’s a clue: Good Realtors are busy out working with Good Clients, and not sitting around twiddling their thumbs staring at the phone.)

3. Set the expectation that said Realtor is to be at your beck and call. Laugh at the idea of said Realtor working with you in partnership, utilizing her expertise and skills to find your perfect home.

4. Accuse the Realtor of not helping out quickly enough because the price of your home at $106,000 is too low and he doesn’t care. That’s while he’s in contract with a delightful client who’s buying a home for $72,000.

5. Send all your email inquiries in capital letters: SHOW US THIS HOUSE. Don’t say when you’d like to see it, ask if it’s a good fit, or even say ‘please’.  Then, when the realtor shows it to you, tell her you hate the home and the area, and why can’t you send something you want to really see?

There’s other examples. The bottom line is this: remember the Golden Rule. Do what your Mama taught you when you were a kid: mind your manners. Remember the line from South Park: “Respect my authority…” A Good Realtor will bend over backwards and use all the tools in the toolbox to help you get what you want…. a fine home at a good price. Don’t blow it.

August Mortgage Loan Panic in Full Bloom

August 17th, 2007 Bank-Owned/Short Sale Homes, Columbus Buyer Info, Columbus Seller Info, The Bad 6 Comments

Well, it’s just past the halfway mark in a hot, dry August, and Life in the home financing industry is suffering through a drought of its own.  American Home Mortgage, the 9th largest mortgage lender in the USA, suddenly closed their doors at the start of the month, leaving thousands of buyers sitting at the closing table with no money to buy. 

While these buyers have (and are) scrambling to find new banks to fund, many prime lenders have cancelled products like stated-income loans, second mortgages, and loans for those with non-perfect credit.

Nervous watchers include international banks like BNP Paribas, who have suspended investor withdrawals in response to the sub-prime market implosion. This and other actions have led to an evaporation of cash flow, which ALL businesses need to survive (it’s like us not having air to breath, folks). Countrywide and Washington Mutual have both stated they are having unprecedented disruptions from their sources for mortgages.

This week, Merrill Lynch advised about a possible Countrywide bankruptcy that could happen soon if they can’t solve their liquidity problems.  The stock market has been a giant see-saw, with wild swings going back and forth. 

Today (August 17), First Magnus Financial Corp. suddenly shut their doors.  This Arizona firm was one of the nation’s largest privately held mortgage companies.

In response, the Fed has dumped a couple of large cash infusions into the economy and just cut the Discount Rate a full half point from 6.25% to 5.75%.

SOOOOOO…… what does this all mean?  Well, we’re in the middle of a big story, and nobody knows the ending yet.  Speculation and borderline hysteria are rampant.  DOES this mean that nobody can get a loan again? No.  Does this mean that some folks won’t be able to get a loan? Yes.

If you’re in the market to finance a home, continue to watch the news and be alert. Keep your cool and look for the facts, NOT the ‘what-ifs’. Talk to your loan officer and get their take on things. Find a loan officer who’s competent, who knows their stuff, and who can flex with any change in direction.

Yip pee-ki-yiy-yay….. this bucking bronc isn’t ready to tame itself just yet…. Hold on to your hats!

How to Get a New Roof Without Replacing It

August 14th, 2007 Columbus Seller Info, The Good 3 Comments

I just had a great experience with a company who can make a black, streaky, icky roof look brand new!  (Think about increasing your sales price and dramatically improving your curb appeal to get the buyers in the door….)

Roof Clean Inc. is run by George Gilliland, who has many years in the roof replacement business.  He switched to this business after seeing the potential (many, MANY black streaky roofs), and having a great solution.

Our home is on the market, and I decided I wanted to improve the ‘charm appeal’ with a nicer looking roof.  George came out and- WOW- what a difference.  All the nasty streaks are gone; the roof looks brand new.  He also painted a couple of roof valleys that had rusted (looks fabulous), and went overboard with a meticulous clean up.  Pricing was great- it’s hundreds, not ‘many hundreds’ or thousands.  (He needs to give individual quotes depending on the work to be done). It just takes a few hours, a low pressure power wash, and the magical chemical process to make it all better….

The streaks show up on roofs starting in the 7-10 year range, usually on the north side of the home or in shady areas.  It’s from an algae that grows in colonies on the shingles.  (This started in 1978 with the oil shortage; manufacturers changed the composition of the shingle to save oil, and started to add crushed limestone and other ingredients to the mix).  The algae LOVES this stuff, and starts congregating away.

Over time, as the roof gets blacker and nastier, moisture is held in the shingle and moss starts to grow.  Removing this algae will definitely extend your life of your roof- a bonus besides the pretty improvement!

(If you want to permanently prevent the algae growth, you can also install zinc strips at the top of the roof.  As the rain washes over the zinc, it flows down and kills any future algae.)

So… for all your clean roof needs, call George at 614-207-0822 or email him at georgerci(at)aol.com.  I highly recommend him….

Home Privacy- Personal Privacy- How to Get It

August 4th, 2007 Columbus Buyer Info, Columbus Seller Info, The Good 3 Comments

Tired of all the phone calls and junk email?  Wondering how others can track you down? Here’s a few tips to make it all better…..

1. Get on the Do Not Call Registry. Either call 888–382–1222 (from the phone number you want to register) or go to www.DoNotCall.gov.  Once registered, it can take about 31 days to have your number in place for all to know. Your registration will be effective for 5 years. You can also file complaints against offenders at the web site above. For Frequently Asked Questions about this service, click here.

2. Tired of those endless mail solicitations for insurance, mortgages, credit cards, etc.? Call 888–567–8688 or go to www.OptOutPrescreen.com. This is a federally sanctioned spot where you can stop all offers coming from the federally regulated reporting agencied and credit bureaus.  This action can take up to 60 days to fully kick in.

3. Do you want all junk mail to stopped being delivered?  Go to www.DMAConsumers.org. Click on “remove my name from these lists” button to and follow the prompts.  The Direct Marketing Association also has a nice booklet on their web site in PDF format that gives you tips about protecting yourself and your computer online while shopping called OnGuard Online.

4. Last of all, do you want to see how easy it is to locate you and find more information about you online?  Go to www.zabasearch.com and play around a bit. By typing your name and zip code, you’re likely to be able to produce a map to your home with your phone number, and can get a security report (at a price) delivered to you. It’s a bit unnerving…. but be aware of today’s reality, and take the precautions you feel are needed.