September 17, 2020
Any experienced real estate agent will tell you that the buyer’s parents can, and will kill the deal. As the buyer’s agent, you have to figure out a way to connect with the parents and ease the concerns they have […]
June 18, 2020
You’ve probably been told that you can’t talk to the Appraiser, but there are ways you can help the Appraiser. With multiple offers becoming the norm, both buyer agents and listing agents should be concerned with the appraisal. Hold Your […]
May 11, 2019
Why do some real estate agents feel the need to yell at their follow colleagues when something goes wrong during the transaction? I can understand their frustration, but what does the yelling accomplish? We Don’t Have Magical Powers I always […]
April 17, 2019
There are lots of things that don’t matter when it comes to real estate transactions. Among them are the following: How much the seller paid for the property Why the seller is moving How much the seller wants to net […]
April 10, 2019
If the best you can ask is “How’s the loan coming along?”, I suggest you don’t even bother making the call. What Not To Ask Once your seller has accepted an offer, part of your job as the listing agent is […]
April 5, 2019
The seller is paying us to sell their property for the highest price, in the shortest amount of time with the least disruption to their lives. That’s the bottom line. So why is it that some listing agents do such […]
March 28, 2019
One of the questions I get most frequently from real estate agents is, “How long should I keep in touch?” My answer is simple…forever or when they tell you to stop…whichever comes first. Engage Your Prospects The issue is this. […]
March 22, 2019
What is your job as the listing agent? The first thing that popped in your head was probably, “to get the house sold.” If that’s what you thought, you’d be correct. Your primary job as the listing agent is to […]
March 13, 2019
If you talk to most real estate agents you will hear that listings are the way to go to build your business, but in my experience it’s not wise to take every listing that comes your way. The Ideal Situation? […]
March 13, 2019
How many times have you heard agents say these very words? For me, this phrase is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Why Don’t I Have Any Offers? I typically hear this statement from real estate agents who are complaining that their fabulous […]
March 9, 2019
No matter what you may believe, I say that “no news is still news”! “I’ll Call You Right Back” Aren’t those some famous last words! How many times have you been in the middle of a real estate transaction or […]
February 27, 2019
We have all heard the questions… “We’ve lived here for 10 years and never had water in the basement until that really bad storm last year. Do we have to disclose that?” “The fireplace can’t be used because it needs a new liner, but […]
February 26, 2019
Depending on how long you have been selling real estate, you may remember a time when contracts were only a few pages in length. Real Estate Contracts Are Thick Today, real estate contracts destroy more trees than the law allows! […]
February 26, 2019
As real estate markets heat up, the last thing your buyer wants to think is that the listing agent or seller is “shopping” their offer. The Drop Dead Date One way buyers have heard/read to avoid this from happening is to put […]
February 20, 2019
Far too often real estate agents are so excited to be on a listing appointment that they forget what they are there to do. The Seller Should Hear It From You Yes, listings are great to have. They can be […]
February 10, 2019
The one person who can make or break a real estate transaction is someone we, as real estate agents can never talk to. For better or for worse we are forced to deal with whatever they say. It doesn’t’ matter […]
February 9, 2019
Would it be fair to say that most people like their parents? I for one LOVE my parents! It’s A Tough Job I think being a parent is one of the toughest jobs on the planet. Of course you don’t […]
February 6, 2019
It’s so easy for us as real estate professionals to get personally involved in the real estate transaction of our clients. After all, we have spent hours and hours meeting, driving and working with them and have formed, in most […]
January 24, 2019
You don’t need me to tell you how difficult it is to sell a house these days. Between the unreasonable buyers and sellers, the changing financial market and tight appraisals, you never know if your contract will make it to […]
January 9, 2019
Whether you are working with buyers or sellers you need to learn how to think like an appraiser. But how do you do that? In this post I will focus on “Thinking Like an Appraiser” when you are working with […]
January 7, 2019
It’s not unusual for real estate agents to say that they don’t like working with friends. The rationale I hear is that they prefer to keep their business and personal lives separate. They have heard too many horror stories about […]
December 14, 2018
The home inspection contingency is one of the most common contingencies in a real estate contract. Your buyer should know going in, that their home inspector will find issues with the “house of their dreams.” That doesn’t mean that the […]
December 6, 2018
One of the first rules of real estate should be, “You’re a Realtor, not a lawyer.” Yet I don’t recall anyone making a point to say that. Every Jurisdiction is Different There are some states and jurisdictions that use licensed […]
November 8, 2018
Risk management is an important element of being a real estate agent. If you are a new real estate agent you are a walking, talking liability. Even if you have years of experience under your belt you know how much […]
October 4, 2018
Why real estate agents shouldn’t reduce their commission sounds like a no-brainer. But if you’ve been a real estate agent for any length of time, you have been asked to reduce your commission. The question I always ask myself is […]
August 23, 2018
When I was growing up there was an advertising campaign aimed at getting kids to read more books. It was called, RIF or Reading is Fundamental. I find myself saying this phrase to myself, numerous times throughout the week. Why? […]
February 6, 2015
To be clear, buyer’s have a right to representation. They also have a right NOT to have representation. Why a buyer would not want full representation is beyond me, but it’s their choice. As a buyer’s agent you have an […]