Irreplaceable You?

 

The graveyards are full of indispensable men. -Charles De Gaulle Read more

Top 10 “To-Do’s” That Will Sell Your Home In Any Market

1. Price your home competitively.

2. Get an inspection before you put your home on the market.

3. Make repairs that show up on the inspection report.

4. Put over-sized, ugly and unnecessary furniture in storage.

5. Landscape your front and back yard. This is the number one money maker and is the most ignored.

6. Paint over your Trading Spaces purple faux paint job, circa 1999.

7. Hire a Realtor that knows what the hell they’re doing. Ask them how many homes they have sold in the last 12 months, average days on market, average list to sales price ratio, what is their marketing strategy? If they can’t answer any of these then you need to call me ASAP.

8. Hire a Realtor that knows how to exploit the internet when exposing your home to internet buyers and also knows how to capture those leads so they can follow up. During the interview, ask the Realtor if their listings will show up on other real estate company websites. If they don’t know the answer to this you need to call me ASAP.

9. Did I mention price your home competitively?

10. Hire Jeff Duffey. Yeah. I said it. You need an agent that will tell you what you need to hear instead of what you want to hear.

Pointers vs Flushers

For those who know me, I am an avid hunter. Upland birds are my main distraction. Pheasants, chuckers and quail are all available at the preserve I frequent. Some brokers take there clients golfing, mine get to go hunting. When hunting upland birds a good bird dog is a must.

There are two main classes of bird dogs, Pointers and Flushers.

A Pointer is a very active style of dog that searches out a bird moving in a rapid zig-zag pattern until it locates a bird. Then it turns into a virtual statue “pointing” towards the bird’s hiding place and holds there until the hunter approaches and gets the bird to fly. The hunter has a much more controlled shot. This style of dog is great when the terrain is difficult and walking is tough or for older hunters.

Now a Flushing dog works similarly in the zig-zag pattern as a Pointer with one main difference. When a Flusher finds a bird it continues to pursue it until the bird has no choice but to fly. If the hunter keeps up with the Flusher there is rapid action, but if you do not, the bird goes up out of range of a shot and the opportunity is lost.

Both styles of bird dogs are fun, but you must know which one you are working with or you will have very limited success.

In our businesses we have bird dogs too. Some are Pointers others are Flushers.

Most Pointers are attorneys or accountants. They have clients that need our services which they not only point out but they have the ability to hold until you can move in and complete the deal. The more you are active in this business the more pointer style bird dogs you will have.

Flushers are usually friends, family and social groups you are in. They come across people needing our services on a regular basis. They may even throw our names out there and for a brief moment the opportunity is there, but if you are not keeping up with your bird dog the opportunity for success could be lost.

Both are profitable to work with but if you plan on having success you better learn which style your bird dog is. A Pointer is more controlled, concerned about your professionalism and how you reflect on his or her reputation. A Flusher is going around and willing to help at the moment but once that moment passes they are onto something else and may not wait for you to connect with their referral.

Treat your bird dogs well and reward them for their service. Thank you notes and recognition or maybe a dinner out are great rewards for Flushers. Giving a referral or two to your Pointer will keep their nose to the ground for you. But, if you don’t follow through and show your appreciation, instead of being a successful hunter you will end up being a Setter and that dog just won’t hunt.

Still Crazy After all These Years

It may seem like now would be a good time for any seller to just take the money and run. It may seem like any intelligent offer on real estate would be considered a gift and the seller lucky. It may seem that just about everyone gets it by now. Ahhhh.. Read more

Mouth to Mouthpiece Resuscitation

Things are slow, nobody is doing anything and the phones are dead. I think I’ll take off and uh, work from home, i.e.watch Oprah, for the rest of the day. I hear that from agents every day. Read more

New York Attorney General kills appraiser relationships

This week New York State’s Attorney General Andrew Cuomo signed what will probably become a model for other states. Read more

Consumers Are Idiots. Especially When it Comes to Real Estate

When people are in deep legal trouble do they price shop attorneys or do you think they choose the best of the best to represent them?  Read more

Attitude Matters

An associate comes into our office each and every day cheerful and smiling.  Happy to see everyone and generally bubbling over with enthusiasm. This in a down market where I have trouble even finding an associate in the office no less one with a great attitude. I of course had to corner the happy soul one morning for a sit down. When I asked how they managed to keep their spirits so high every day I was let in on what has become one of the simplest measures of a persons worth I’ve found. Read more

I Hate Paying Taxes!

Considering tax season is upon us and I know many Realtors read Real Estate Radio USA, I thought I would share my (unshared?) thoughts on the oh so entertaining subject of income taxes. Read more

Who is Mowing Your Lawn?

From the first time my Dad let me run the lawn mower I was hooked. There is something about feeling the sun on your back and scent of the fresh cut grass that relaxes me.

Then when the job is done, to just sit back and survey with pride the finished lawn, gives me a feeling of euphoria. I bought a nice new Cub Cadet mower and spent many Saturdays cutting and trimming. It generally took me about 3 hours each week. There was a sense of accomplishment to turn a scruffy week old lawn into a park like setting.

Then one day I had a customer who mowed lawns for a living and he stopped over for a visit and show off his new machine. He zipped around my lawn in about 20 minutes moving almost as fast as you could run. It was incredible. I could not help but think how fast he did what I spent hours each week trying to do.

Knowing that I have to spend about 50 hours a week to end up with enough billable activities to make the cash I need to enjoy life. I quickly broke out my trusty pad & pencil. Divide…multiply…carry the 2 and viola! Fifteen extra hours a month created from thin air. But, at what cost.

The quote was for $37.50 per week every Thursday 10AM. Including weed wacking, trim blower and edging as needed. My friend asked, “What do you think?” I said, “I think I’m selling the lawnmower.” That I did and I have not mowed the lawn since.

I would like to say I used those extra hours to earn a small fortune but I didn’t. Basically I just bought myself some extra time for enjoying my family, a little fishing and hunting and that ever so valuable Saturday afternoon nap. I still love the smell of a fresh cut lawn. I am just getting it done by someone else.

So back to the question. Who is mowing your lawn? Sending out thank you cards? Sitting in your Open House? Typing your listings into the MLS? If you do not have enough time, buy some of it back. Outsourcing may seem to cost you but most times it can be done faster and cheaper than doing it yourself. Not to mention better quality and consistency.

Need help to buy a property in Buffalo, New York? Well I have some extra time to give you that personal service. Just give me a call.